


Godling

by Jk_Kat



Series: Writing 'bout block mens [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, I only tagged the important characters, If I see shipping it's on sight, Magic, No shipping, Platonic Soulmates Jschaltt & Quackity, Platonic Soulmates Tubbo & TommyInnit, Sleepy Bois Inc as Family, Toby Smith | Tubbo-centric, TommyInnit-centric (Video Blogging RPF)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 62,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29010087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jk_Kat/pseuds/Jk_Kat
Summary: “Just hang on, Theseus.” Tubbo’s hands shook as he hung from the window, slowly inching his way down. The bracelet jangled against his skin, catching on some of the ties. “I’m on my way!” Tubbo hit the grass, softly, with the tips of his feet.Technoblade had showed him how to fall silently, the same blank expression as his hand had waved. It had trembled and Tubbo had pretended not to notice. If Tubbo had anything to say about it, Technoblade would never be sad about Theseus again.Tubbo set off into the woods, backpack bobbing. He needed to get some serious ground in before the sun rose, or he’d get dragged right back.He took a sharp, cold breath. For Theseus, Tubbo could do anything.---Theseus was the son of the god Phil and the youngest brother of godly twins Technoblade and Wilbur. Ten years ago, he vanished without a trace. Bonded from their friendship, Tubbo always insisted Theseus was alive, even with no other proof than his own surety.One night, Tubbo escapes from his godly family. Without Theseus, he can't come into his godly powers. He wants his friend back, and sets off into the night, following the compass left in his chest.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson
Series: Writing 'bout block mens [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2201280
Comments: 1161
Kudos: 1275





	1. The Start

“It moved! I can feel it- I _know_ he moved. Please, Ranboo, I-”

“ _Enough_ , Tubbo.” Ranboo tilted Tubbo’s face up. Tubbo searched his mismatched eyes, blank and unfeeling. “You know very well that Quackity and Schaltt would be very disappointed to hear you speaking of Theseus again.” The clawed fingers dropped from Tubbo’s jaw and he screwed his face up, turning away from the god in front of him.

“You haven’t come into your powers yet,” Ranboo continued. “You-”

“I can’t come into anything with Theseus.” Tubbo’s eyes glared upwards, feeling a small headache form under his horns. Ranboo’s eyes widened, surprised. Tubbo was normally so obedient to his family- “I was Bonded with Theseus before he went missing. It has been _years_ , and I am telling you all that _Theseus is still alive_.” Tubbo could feel it in his chest, the other half of his soul-- a compass leading him forward.

“You seem so sure.” Ranboo’s voice dropped, and Tubbo’s stomach twisted. He hated making them upset. “You forget that we arrived on the scene when Theseus vanished. Phil, Technoblade, and Wilbursoot all searched for years. Technoblade tore through Hell, Wilbursoot descended to the mortals and ripped every village apart, Phil- Phil even killed some of the gods. Nothing and no one has found Theseus.” Tubbo couldn’t help the tears forming in his eyes, and the fist Ranboo had balled came undone.

“I don’t say these things to hurt you, Tubbo, but you need to let go. We’re worried about what this has done to you,” Ranboo stroked Tubbo’s cheek gently and Tubbo looked up at his older brother. “We know you miss him. But he is dead. You may grieve as much as you want, but you need to let him go.”

“I’m sorry, Ranboo. I just-” Tubbo sniffled, fist coming up to wipe at his tears. Ten years ago, Theuseus was three and Tubbo had just turned four. They had gone to play a game on the outskirts of Phil’s kingdom, chasing the bees in the wind near the cliff Phil had always told them to avoid, and when Tubbo had turned around-

There was nothing left but a broken piece of rock falling off the edge.

Tubbo had screamed and the gods had come running, flying in Phil’s case, but Theseus was gone. There was no small body at the bottom of the cliff. Technoblade had spent months drowning in the ocean, filling his lungs with seawater and trying to taste for any blood. Wilbur had called the sirens from the depths of the ocean, who all claimed that if they had seen Theseus fall, they would have caught him and returned him safe. Even if Theseus had died, there should have been a body.

There should have been an answer. And Bonded as they were, Tubbo knew what none of them did. He knew his hope kept their’s all alive for years, but it all dwindled. Tubbo was the only one who believed now.

“You don’t need to apologize, Tubbo. I know how hard you took Theseus’ death. Mortals are very fragile, and until you come into your godling power, we can’t let you outside. Do you understand?” Ranboo’s eyebrows were coming together, skin folding over the lines dotting his face. Tubbo nodded. “Good boy.” Ranboo’s hand came down on Tubbo’s head, gently ruffling the soft hair. “I will see you tomorrow morning for breakfast, alright? Don’t tell Schlatt I told you, but he was gonna take you down to the worship festival tomorrow night. Something to look forward to, hm? Quackity is quite determined to win that stuffed goat this year.” Ranboo smiled. It didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Tubbo nodded again, and with a soft goodnight, Ranboo left the room.

“I know you’re alive, Theseus.” Tubbo glanced over to his bed, the pillow soft and fluffed. His fist bunched and he strode over to the blankets, settling in and ribbing the white pillowcase off. “And I’m going to come find you.”

Ranboo, the god of shadows.

Quackity, the god of mercy.

Schlatt, the god of punishment.

Schlatt and Quackity were Bonded, the way Tubbo and Theseus were. Mercy and Punishment made Justice, Tubbo and Theseus made… something. They didn’t know yet, not until Theseus came back and they grew into their godly inheritance together. Ranboo was young when he was adopted by Schlatt and Quackity, and Tubbo followed decades later. Their little makeshift family.

Each god had their own symbol, a Blessing etched into mortal’s skin. With the black freckle beside Tubbo’s left eye, he could call Ranboo’s shadows to take him straight to the god. Quackity’s blessing quieted his mind whenever the storm… happened, fixing Tubbo’s terrible thoughts with quiet gold whispers. Schlatt’s blessing appeared as the small horns on Tubbo’s head. When called on, it gave Tubbo heightened strength and a Charm to his words.

If Tubbo wanted to pull this off properly, he’d have to block them out, which is exactly why he had the servants sneak in… this!

He pulled the enchanted cuff from his pillowcase, small fingers caressing the metal. It pulsed with magic, strong enough to block the gods’ influence. Tubbo could do it, he was strong enough. He would go out there and find Theseus, and bring him back to his family. He’d have to do it without the gods’ blessings, but Tubbo was sure he’d be fine. He’d have Theseus with him soon enough, anyway. And together, nothing could stop them!

Tubbo fit the bracelet around his wrist, taking in a sharp inhale as it clicked into place. The magic seeped from the marks, drawing into the bracelet until the silver had turned black with suppression. Tubbo knew that the gods couldn’t sense him when he was asleep anyway. Ranboo had said goodnight.

It was go time.

Tubbo flew around the room as quietly as he could, nabbing clothes and sheets. He tied them all together, hands flying out to catch the lamp that had almost fallen. Tubbo stuck his head out the window, the wind whipping at his face. It was harder than usual, maybe Phil was upset?

Tubbo tied the other end of his makeshift rope to the window sill. He pulled it, feeling the fabric hold firm. He gathered the rest of it up in his arms, peeking out the window again. He could go back, but once he threw it, it was over. They would know he was trying to sneak out.

Not _trying_. Against the nerves pelting against his stomach, Tubbo’s face hardened. He _was_ sneaking out. They could be mad at him when he came back with Theseus.

Tubbo chucked the fabric out the window. He swung his backpack over his shoulder - packed with waterbottles and any food ration he’d been able to steal from the kitchen - and swung a leg experimentally over the edge of the window.

“Just hang on, Theseus.” Tubbo’s hands shook as he hung from the window, slowly inching his way down. The bracelet jangled against his skin, catching on some of the ties. “I’m on my way!” Tubbo hit the grass, softly, with the tips of his feet.

Technoblade had showed him how to fall silently, the same blank expression as his hand had waved. It had trembled and Tubbo had pretended not to notice. If Tubbo had anything to say about it, Technoblade would never be sad about Theseus again.

Tubbo set off into the woods, backpack bobbing. He needed to get some serious ground in before the sun rose, or he’d get dragged right back.

He took a sharp, cold breath. For Theseus, Tubbo could do anything.

\--

By the time twelve o’clock had rolled around the next day, Ranboo was starting to get worried. Tubbo hadn’t even come out of his room yet. He was usually up around ten… did he not sleep well? Maybe he should go check on him.

Ranboo gently slid into the shadows behind his throne, sighing at their cool nature. When he emerged from under Tubbo’s bed, he started shrieking.

Schlatt and Quackity abandoned their paperwork and work, rushing to Ranboo’s aid.

They found a window wide open, a rope of fabric leading out of their mortal’s room, and one Tubbo short.

\---

“He can’t have gone far, Ranboo.” Phil’s voice would normally be soothing, but today it just grated on Schlatt’s nerves. He and Quackity had been so busy with work… souls needed to be judged before heading into their afterlife, and the lists had been piling up. Schlatt paced as Quackity’s head hung in his hands, Ranboo shaking by the shadows in the corner.

The gods had all gathered, murmuring amongst themselves as Wilbur pulled up a map.

“Do any of you have any idea where he might be headed?” Wilbur’s eyes narrowed, a harsh light to them. They were all thinking of what had happened to Theseus -- godlings like Theseus and Tubbo were so rare.

“Y-yesterday he wouldn’t stop talking about Th-” Wilbur’s gaze shot up and pierced Ranboo like a bullet. The god felt a terrible pit in his stomach, a lump in his throat as Technoblade’s hand drifted closer to his sword. None of them liked being reminded, but they could all see it in the bags under their eyes. “Theseus. He was talking about Theseus.” Ranboo looked away. He didn’t think he could face them _and_ bring up their dead child. “He seemed to think that… that Theseus was still alive. And that he could feel him moving again… but closer this time. He only ever says anything when he thinks Theseus is moving closer.”

“So he’s gone off to chase a ghost.” Quackity groaned, burying his face further into his hands. Schlatt’s eyes narrowed.

“Wait. You never said anything earlier about Tubbo thinking Theseus was _closerSouls don’t move._ ” Schlatt almost whispered the words, putting a hand by his mouth. “Souls don’t- they stay in their afterlife. Even if Tubbo could have felt Theseus after his…” a glance to Phil, who’s eyes were shadowed in the brim of his hat. “Passing… which, even rare, is possible. They were Bonded so young and so naturally, too. But he shouldn’t be able to feel Theseus move.”

“And in all of our records, we’ve never once seen a trace of Theseus’ soul.” Quackity propped his chin on the table, eyebrows furrowed. “Even if he was. Destroyed, it should have left _something_ behind.”

Phil stood, his chair screeching behind him. “Theseus is dead.” the man’s eyes shone under his hat, burning acid catching Schaltt’s. The wind began to spin around the room, flopping Technoblade’s braid around wildly. “We searched _everywhere_ , there was no sign of my-” Phil curled into himself as he collapsed back into his chair, his throat trembling. The wind died down. “There was no sign of my son.”

“Dream.” Ranboo flicked his hands, eyes finding the mask hidden in the opposite corner. The last god. The god of reality. “Would a Bond function across separate dimensions?”

All eyes were focused on the green-clad face as he shifted uncomfortably with the attention.

“...I don’t know. It’s never happened before.” Dream looked away, crossing his arms. Ranboo could almost see the cogs swirling in his mind. “But… I would consider it possible. Possible enough. Or maybe Tubbo could just be chasing an alternate version of Theseus, not our Godling Theseus.”

“You said there were no versions of Theseus across other dimensions.” Wilbur stared at Dream from his seat. 

“I did. And I am still very sure I didn’t find any. I even let Technoblade into most of them to search himself, and still. Nothing.” Dream clenched his fist. “We don’t know what happened to Theseus. But speculating about it won’t help Tubbo. I’ll comb through the world, figure out his location. I’ll try to keep as many dangers away as the rest of you search. Technoblade, can you track him?”

“I will try.” Technoblade’s grip tightened on his sword. He let the pommel go, standing. “Ranboo, show me where he left.” 

“Alright.”


	2. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally get to see where Theseus - Tommy - ended up.
> 
> Tubbo makes an ally.

Tommy cupped his hand around the compass, tracing the burnished metal. The thing had been blown up by creepers, hit with an arrow, and taken away- but no matter what happened to it, it always managed to find its way back to his hands. There were words etched into the top, _Your Tubbo_. Tommy didn’t know any Tubbos. Dream had told him he didn’t know any Tubbos either, and what would his brother gain from lying to him?

Tommy just had to trust him, even as the compass’ arrow moved for the first time in forever. Tommy blinked down at the red arrow, his thumb pressing into the glass. Soft, pulsing, like a little heartbeat. A whistle pierced the sky and Tommy’s head shot up. It was lunch time, Dream was probably looking for him.

With a sigh, Tommy stood and dusted his jeans off. Dream never let him wander far from the cabin. He was a good fighter too, something about his hands just managed to guide weapons right where they needed to be, but Dream had looked so incredibly upset the last time they had sparred. Tommy pocketed the compass and brought his hands to his face, sending a similar whistle back. Dream would know he was on his way, and not running off again.

Tommy clicked a rock and grabbed his gloves off the floor where he’d left them. Marked into Tommy’s palms were these weird markings. They sorta looked like swords, but they were pink. They crossed over his entire palm, and when Tommy would pick up a weapon, they would flash and glow. And Tommy was able to fight like he’d been doing it his entire life.

Dream said that nobody else in the entire Overworld had those marks and that made Tommy a freak. That’s why none of the mobs in the Nether would go near him, or why he wasn’t allowed to stray from the cabin too much. It wasn’t Tommy’s fault he was different, but no matter how much Dream tried to rub those weird marks off, they’d never go.

There was another one on his neck, and Tommy pulled his turtleneck up again. It always itched when it was covered, but Dream didn’t like seeing it either. The last mark was situated right between his shoulder blades, like a comforting hand on his back, and it reminded Tommy of Dream when his brother was in a good mood.

Tommy broke from the forest canopy, jogging lazily across the grass. The little puffs of smoke expelled from the admin’s house. Dream had said that he had found Tommy when he was just a little toddler, crying and sniffling in the grass. Dream said he didn’t know where Tommy came from, but that he’d never invited him into the Dream SMP. It was weird, for sure, but Tommy had been here since. He wouldn’t question it.

“Hey, Toms.” Dream greeted him as he stepped into the cabin, shaking off his shoes and placing them by the door. Tommy nodded and plopped into the second chair at their dining table, a steaming bowl of mushroom stew pushed towards him. Dream made a pleased hum at his covered hands, and Tommy tried to ignore the weird swirl on his neck’s itching.

“I’m glad you’re covering those things up on your own now.” Dream chuckled, and Tommy could almost imagine him smiling, if not for the mask covering his face. Dream unclipped the mask and placed it on the table. “You know I’d never want you to feel bad about yourself, Tommy-”

“I know, I know. Keeps me safe.” Tommy slurped at his stew, humming at the texture. “This is better than your last one, Dream. You sure you made this?” Tommy made eye contact as he teased, watching Dream’s green eyes roll.

“I warmed it up. Bought it from Niki’s shop.” Dream admitted, tucking into his own stew.

“Makes sense.” the room was silent but for the clink of cutlery in their bowls. “Y’know, Dream, that arrow started moving on my compass again.” at Tommy’s words, Dream stilled.

“I thought I threw that compass into the river.” Dream raised an annoyed eyebrow, and Tommy resisted the urge to flinch.

“Well yeah you did, but I found it in the forest today. It was sitting on my favourite tree stump.” Dream held out his hand wordlessly, and Tommy reluctantly handed it over. Dream stared down at the surface before pressing his thumb harder into the glass.

Tommy looked away when it shattered, hearing the pieces scattered around the table. He swallowed hard, clenching a fist under the table. At least Dream was breaking something other than Tommy’s face. He looked back when Dream dropped the compass, breaking it further on the floor. As they watched, the glass knit itself back together. Tommy gasped as it flew up and knocked his bowl off the table.

The wood cracked as the remains of Tommy’s soup scattered on the planks.

Dream’s chair screeched as he stood up, Tommy’s eyes flying up to his brother.

“W-wait, Dream, I couldn’t-” Dream’s hand cracked across Tommy’s face, nearly throwing him off his chair. Tommy flinched, trembling as the same hand that struck him started caressing his opposite cheek.

“Please, Tommy. I only do these things because I love you,” Dream’s voice was low. Still angry, then. “This compass is _distracting_ you. Whatever this… this- Tubbo is is clouding your judgement. You will get rid of that compass, do you understand?”

Tommy shook, his stomach rolling as his breaths came heavier. “Yes… yes I understand.”

“I forgive you.”

“Dream, this-”

“ _I forgive you, Tommy._ ”

“...thank you for forgiving me. I-I’m sorry.”

Dream let go of Tommy’s chin, stepping around his chair. “I’ll be back in a few days, Tommy. I need to go check up on L’Manberg, you see? You’re keeping me from my job, but that’s okay Tommy. I forgive you for that, too.” Dream fixed the mask back on his face, as Tommy froze in his chair, grey eyes staring at Dream. Tommy was shaking. “Clean this place up before come back, and I don’t want to see that compass again.”

Tommy nodded, curling around himself.

“Good. I love you, Tommy.” Dream opened the door, pausing in the entrance. “ _I love you,_ Tommy.”

“I love you too, Dream.” Tommy’s voice was shaky and quiet, but Dream decided to let it go for now. He stepped out of the cabin, locking the door behind him. As he stepped outside, Dream narrowed his eyes, scoffing. If that stupid Godling Tubbo managed to sneak into this world, he might be able to influence Tommy.

Dream snarled. He hadn’t been able to break the Blessings the gods etched into Tommy’s skin, no matter how much he tried. He stalked off into the forest. He’d need to put stronger barriers up in this reality, otherwise that other-Dream could find his way in and discover what he’d done.

Godling blood like Tommy’s, tainted with three of the most powerful gods in the multiverse, was a precious commodity, after all. Dream would hate to lose his control over this world.

\---

Tubbo raced through the forest. He’d taken a short nap when daybreak had risen, and now it was after noon. He’d slept way too much! He was never gonna find Theseus at this rate, they had to have noticed he was gone by now. Tubbo had seen guards and soldiers from each of the gods’ armies march around the woods, but he’d managed to hide so far. His Blessing marks itched terribly, but he couldn’t stop to scratch them. If he removed his bracelet, they’d be able to track him out here before he could ever find Theseus. Tubbo closed his eyes and breathed, finding the compass in his mind.

The red arrow pointed steadily forward, and so Tubbo moved. He cursed lighty, hiding behind a large tree. Those were _Technoblade’s_ soldiers, with the god himself on his horse between them. Tubbo held his breath, praying the god of war hadn’t noticed him yet. He’d only been gone a day, they’d already called the other gods to help?

“Search the north side of forest. He might’ve changed directions.” Technoblade ordered and Tubbo sunk down the trunk in relief. He didn’t-

“What exactly do you think you’re doing Tubbo?” the godling yelped, jerking as Technoblade’s hand came down _hard_ on his arm. Tubbo looked up at the rage steadily brewing in Technoblade’s eyes and gulped. He’d seen the god angry many, many times, but he’d never been on the receiving end.

“W-well you see-”

“You scared the _shit_ out of everyone!”

“Technoblade, wait-”

“Do you have any idea what-”

“ **Theseus is still alive!** ” Tubbo couldn’t help the shout, and in Technoblade’s surprise, he yanked his arm away from the god. “I’m not going home. I can feel it, I know he’s there. He just moved and he’s _closer_. Something’s telling me that I’m never gonna get another chance and I have to hurry.” Tubbo stared Technoblade down, watching the god take a step backwards.

Technoblade opened his mouth to argue when Tubbo burst outta there. His hands were shaking and his stomach rolling - _that was way too close_ \- could he outrun Technoblade? He didn’t think so, but maybe his smaller frame would help him squeeze through the foliage better than the burly god.

Tubbo skidded to a stop when Technoblade’s long pink hair stepped out from a tree in front of him. The god had his arms crossed, a thoughtful look in his eyes. Tubbo looked from side to side. There had to be a way out of this- he couldn’t go left, he’d be inching too close to the main road. He had a better chance of getting caught like that. He could find somewhere small to hide until Technoblade left, and that was only if he’d ever leave-

“You’re sure that Theseus is alive?” Technoblade’s voice was quiet and Tubbo’s head snapped up. “Because if I’m going to help you find him, you need to be sure. Or we’re both in for an ass whooping.”

“I…” Tubbo swallowed, stepping forward with determination filling his chest. “I’m sure!”

Technoblade nodded once, a decisive action. Tubbo really thought he was gonna faint. Technoblade brought his hands to his mouth and whistled. Tubbo’s head shot sideways as a golden horse trotted up to them. Technoblade cleared his throat, gesturing between Tubbo and the horse.

“Tubbo, Carl. Carl, Tubbo. He’s… he’s gonna lead us to my little brother.” Technoblade stroked the horse’s face, gesturing Tubbo over. Within a flash, Technoblade had seated himself up on the horse, and deftly placed Tubbo in front of him. Technoblade gathered Carl’s reins in his hands, easily towering around Tubbo.

As nervous as Technoblade made him, Tubbo couldn’t help the flutter of excitement in his stomach. Technoblade was gonna _help_ him. There was no way they’d leave without Theseus, not now!

“What direction?” Technoblade glanced backwards as Tubbo closed his eyes, searching in his chest for Theseus’ heartbeat and the compass’ steady pulse. Tubbo raised his arm in the direction of the arrow, mentally grabbing the string tying him to Theseus. It had withered with age and lack of contact, but Tubbo wasn’t gonna let it break. With enough time, they’d have a proper Bond again.

“Okay.” Technoblade breathed, typing a short message on his communicator. He clicked at Carl, the horse moving in a steady gait forward. “I’ve told the others to use my soldiers as they please and that I’m doing some searching of my own for you. They won’t believe it forever, though.”

“Thanks, Techno… uhm.” Tubbo leaned his head back onto Technoblade’s chest, twisting his fingers. “For helping me. I know that… I know that you never gave up looking for him.” Tubbo kept his eyes solidly trained on Carl’s wither.

“...This is the last time I’m going.” Technoblade’s grip got tighter on the reins. “So you had better not be leading us on some… rebellious teenager phase.” Technoblade’s threat was light and Tubbo couldn’t contain the giggles erupting in his chest.

“Promise, I won’t.”

Tommy’s compass sat untouched on the dining room table as Tommy cleaned up the spilled stew, trying not to hold his bruised face.

It shuddered, the magic housed inside the glass making the rip between dimensions larger.

_Your Tubbo_ it whispered. _Your Tubbo is coming._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so nobody's left confused...
> 
> There are multiple dimensions, and there is a form of Dream in all of them who looks after them. Sometimes he's eldritch, sometimes he's a god, and sometimes he's human. He can be evil or good and exists functionally in a shade of grey.
> 
> The Dream that kidnapped Tommy is a different Dream from the one in Tommy's original world.


	3. Entrance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy goes yeet.
> 
> Phil makes a decision.
> 
> Tubbo and Techno find what they've been looking for.

Tommy was pacing on the floor. Dream wouldn’t see the worn floorboards, and he’d cleaned up the soup and fixed the bowl. He’d fixed his mistake.

_Dream’s mistake?_

The marks on his hands burned under the gloves. Out of all of them, they were the ones that hated to be trapped the most. They always demanded freedom and use, and sometimes the skin on Tommy’s palms would pucker and peel when they got too… aggressive. Dream always liked it when he saw the skin peeling, it meant Tommy was listening. Those days, Dream would remind him how special their bond was.

Tommy looked down at his gloved hands, gently curling and uncurling his fingers. Maybe Dream was right, he was a freak and he should just-

 _No._ Tommy gasped as the mark on his back pulsed. It hadn’t ever done that before, and his hands scrabbled for his shoulder blades as a thin strip of heat flashed down to his tailbone and up the back of his head. Tommy fell onto the dining table, head hanging low as the heat slowly faded from his spine. _What the hell was that?_

He looked up, breathing heavy, as something light settled in his gut. Tommy could almost feel feathers brush against his cheeks, something comforting and safe. Tommy’s hands curled into fists and his eyes fell over to the compass sitting on the table. Your Tubbo. What even was… a Tubbo? Tommy had always assumed it was a name - a weird one, but whatever - but maybe a Tubbo was… something else. Tommy picked it up, running the pad of his middle finger over the top.

The compass never hurt anyone, but Dream always wanted it gone. And even if Tommy hid it, he’d find it. He’d… hurt Tommy.

But he deserved it. For disobeying the rules-

_Bullshit rules if they make you this sad._

Tommy shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts. He couldn’t just leave-

The windows weren’t locked. Tommy’s head snapped to the large window over the kitchen sink, and he stormed over, testing the glass. Easily breakable. Tommy pushed on the glass, feeling it hard against his hand. Nerves bubbled in his stomach, because Dream was the Admin here. He’d be able to find him, no matter where he went. So Tommy was gonna need a cover story.

Tommy slowly opened one of the drawers, where the hammers were kept. He stared at the door. If he was gonna stage this, he was going to need to break the window from the outside. Tommy hung the hammer on his belt, grabbing some bobby pins from under his bed. Dream didn’t know about these, but he also wouldn’t let Tommy cut his hair by himself- how else was he supposed to get the hair out of his eyes?

Tommy launched himself at the door, carefully inserting his tools through the lock. He’d read about lockpicking in books, of course, but he’d never actually _done_ it. He jiggled the pins around, his tongue absently hanging out of his mouth as he focused. There was pressure, fighting Tommy’s grip. The left pin bent, and with a sinking of his throat to his stomach, Tommy was sure it would break.

_Click._

Tommy removed the pins from the lock, stepping away as the door swung outward with nothing holding it in place. His heart was going harder than it ever had in his _life_ , his hands shaking. There was no going back anymore- Tommy didn’t have a key! Dream was going to come home in a few days and find the door open, and he was going to _punish_ Tommy.

Tommy’s hand flew down to his belt, trying to find that hammer, when his hand landed on the compass instead. His gaze fell down as the metal pulsed in his hand. Warm. Comforting.

Tommy took a breath as it soothed his nerves, taking the hammer out. He smashed the handle of the door in until the lock was too damaged to use. He _had_ to make it look like someone, or multiple someones, got after him. He smashed the window from the outside, watching the glass scatter all over the counters.

He reached his arm through the broken window, opening drawers at random and tossing their contents onto the floor. The chairs were already skewed and this was as probably as good as Tommy could get it. As he pulled away, a spike caught on his arm. He yanked the flesh away, splatters of blood sitting on the glass. Tommy’s face fell as his hands came up to grab at the green cloth Dream had insisted on tying to his neck. He threw the cloth around the bloody window.

A kidnapper’s message for Dream? Tommy certainly hoped he’d take it that way.

As his stomach flew, tossing around with the butterflies, his hand fell to the compass on his belt again. It pulsed.

 _Run._ the compass almost seemed to whisper.

Tommy ran.

\---

Techno wasn’t answering his communicator. While Phil knew that his eldest son could take care of himself perfectly well, it didn’t stop him from worrying. After they’d lost- Phil flinched, almost thinking the name.

Techno and Wilbur weren’t like… Theseus. They weren’t like him _at all_. Techno and Wilbur had burst from Phil’s skull after a particularly bad headache, full grown and all ready to lead. Techno, a god of war, of battle, of blood. Wilbur, a god of music, and sound, and voice. Both leaders in so many different ways.

When Schlatt had discovered Tubbo, the entire parthenon had been lit in celebration for _months_. Godlings were so rare- even Dream, who had lived since this universe had been created, had not seen one in person before. Phil had just left the newly christened Tubbo’s fourth month party, leaving his gifts of carefully woven feathers and charms of protection. And although Phil couldn’t help it, he was jealous. He was far more powerful than Schlatt or Quackity, or Ranboo. Yet their family had been blessed with a godling. A _real_ child.

Phil had been so lost in his self-inflicted misery that he hadn’t even noticed the bundle sitting carefully on the steps of his castle. He’d paused, almost walking past it, before flinging himself towards the blankets.

When he’d uncovered it, he’d known. Tubbo had looked so much like Schlatt. This little baby, cooing, bursts of magic fluffing up Phil’s hair with little sparks of electricity, looked _just like Phil._

He had launched himself back to the party, back to his grown sons, screeching like he’d been murdered. The gods had drawn their weapons, readied their magic, when Phil burst through the door with another child in his hands. 

Techno had just about flown to his side as the room exploded in cheers, punctuated by Dream’s cursing about the sheer _odds_ of two godlings being born even with millennia between them. Not to mention just four months.

Techno had immediately snatched the child from Phil’s arms, and he had almost protested, until he saw Techno’s face. A god of war going _soft_. What were the odds?

“Theseus.” Techno’s voice had been quiet, as Theseus’ face scrunched up. Techno offered him a finger to hold onto it. The gods were clambering around each other, all trying to come see the newest addition. Just as Theseus’ presence had caused absolute chaos, Tubbo’s shrieking cries returned everything to order.

The gods froze as Tubbo cried out, Quackity immediately running to the crib. When even Quackity’s hushes and gentle rocking didn’t soothe, Theseus’ arms reached out from the blanket, making grabby motions towards the noise.

Phil remembered watching Quackity pick Tubbo up, having the boys close enough to touch. When they grabbed onto the other’s small fingers, the gods collectively had held a breath when the golden strands of a Bond curled around both of them.

That night, as the gods drank far too much wine, the godlings had slept, holding each other’s hands. Phil remembered thinking that he would always treasure those moments.

He just wished it wasn’t so bittersweet now.

Phil glanced down at his communicator. Techno hadn’t even read his message yet. After Tubbo had gone missing, Techno had taken his soldiers and fled to try and track him down. Phil completely trusted Techno’s ability, but him giving Phil access to all his soldiers was a bit odd…

If Techno was searching in a different direction than everyone else, that had to mean he’d found something, right? So why would he send-

Phil’s eyes snapped open as he realized. The winds flooded the room, throwing the banners all over the walls, threatening to tear from how fierce Phil’s powers were.

Of course. Even ten years after the fact, Techno still went out on… missions. And even though he’d never said it, Phil knew damn well that he was just using these missions as an excuse to look more for Theseus, even after they’d officially declared the search over and Theseus to be dead. He’d made Dream take him across different realities, burning each one to the ground, and coming back emptier than before.

If Techno thought, really thought, that Tubbo had a lead on Theseus- he’d go. And he’d take Tubbo with him.

Phil lifted his communicator warily, staring down at the blank screen. He _could_ go tell Schlatt and the others, he supposed. But something in him couldn’t, because _what if they brought his son back?_ Phil collapsed onto his throne, rubbing his hand on his face. He was exhausted of mourning.

Gods were immortal and they expected everything in their lives to stay. None of them were equipped to handle the loss of something so precious.

What would Phil do for a _chance_ to see Theseus again? Tubbo had always insisted he could feel Phil’s son, but he hadn’t dared to hope after years of nothing. Phil hadn’t gotten there fast enough, hadn’t been watching carefully, hadn’t treasured Theseus the way he was supposed to. And in payment, Theseus was gone.

Phil put the communicator down. At least with Techno, Tubbo would be safe. He resolved his nerves, sending out mass orders to Techno’s soldiers, guiding their attempts.

He knew how the others had worried. Schlatt had abandoned his sorting of the souls entirely, Quackity joining him. They were still out and the last Phil had heard of them, they were combing through the place they had lost Theseus to see if Tubbo had run there. Ranboo had been found yesterday, unconscious from using too much of his power at once, teleporting everyone. The god was absolutely beside himself.

A selfish part of Phil insisted that no one else knew what he went through when he lost his little godling. They deserved to know, and Phil deserved to get him back. Phil stared down at the screen, tempted to call Schlatt. For Theseus, was he really above using Tubbo?

Phil put the communicator back in his pocket.

\---

Tubbo felt the _tug_ , curling in on his chest and trying to breathe. He heard Techno’s hushed worries from behind him, his hands trying to steady Tubbo before he fell off Carl. Tubbo closed his eyes, responding with a tug of his own, briefly seeing flashes of glass and a broken window. He could _feel_ the anxiety from Theseus from here, aching in his chest, and he desperately whispered for Theseus to run. To _leave_. That Tubbo would find him when he was safe.

Theseus didn’t respond but for the flashes of his vision twisting, the edge of a forest with… strange block-shaped trees coming closer and closer to Theseus’ field of vision.

Tubbo’s eyes snapped open as he gasped for air, leaning back as Techno tried to ground him.

“What, is something-” Techno started, stopping as the tears flew down Tubbo’s face.

“He’s alive. I felt him, I- **I saw him!** ” Tubbo couldn’t help the victorious shriek, throwing his hands in the air and almost hitting Techno’s chin. “He’s close! He’s so close!” Tubbo slipped off Carl’s back, stumbling before breaking into a run. He heard Techno curse behind him, the war god’s heavy footsteps following.

Tubbo skipped to a stop, staring at a… tree. It looked just like a normal tree until Tubbo’s hand reached out, and the thing broke into a weird mishmash of a tree-shaped- block?

Tubbo felt Techno come to a stop behind him, a golden ring shimmering in the middle.

“He’s through there.” Tubbo’s hand reached out through the portal, his fingers disappearing into the tree’s bark. “Techno, we have to-”

Tubbo let out a surprised shriek as Techno lobbed him over one shoulder like a sack of potatoes and leapt through the portal.

Tubbo’s eyes refocused on the other side of the portal, staring blankly at the expanse of fields, blocks of grass scattered around the landscape. Techno stilled, staring at the strange world, as faded grey text shone in the sky above them.

_Technoblade has joined the Game._

_Tubbo_ has joined the Game._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My prof's cats were meowing in class today. They were so cute DX


	4. Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> God-Dream finds the world and promptly loses his shit.
> 
> Technoblade woke up and chose violence.

Dream blinked at the inside of his mask. He cocked his head, gently removing it from his head, and caressing his fingers through the acid lights of magic going underneath it. Technoblade and Tubbo had just left _this_ dimension and travelled into a new one, one that _Dream hadn’t seen before._

Dream’s face blanked into a careful neutral as he excused himself from the meeting room and quickly made a dimensional step into his own private quarters, in his own world. Dream opened the magic further, fingers pressing into this new world that Technoblade and Tubbo had travelled to. 

Dream supposed that Tubbo could be with worse gods right now. At least he’d be safe, as much as the distaste curled around Dream’s stomach at the idea of Techno taking him anywhere at all. But Dream hadn’t ever seen this new dimension before, and that in and of itself was more than a little concerning.

Dream had meticulously numbered all of the dimensions he had come across, keeping his paws out of other realities and only going so he was aware of their presence and any possible cracks. Almost every reality had a Dream - sometimes he was a god or a human or something in between. Always in power. Collectively, Dream knew that they levelled out to be a solid neutral across all the dimensions, but there were certainly evil Dreams and good ones.

The fact that this world, in particular, had been hidden from him until he noticed Tubbo’s name next to it, meant that _another Dream was aware of him_ and had a vested interest in keeping Dream out of his way.

Dream clicked into more of this world that had been wiped from his maps, before a snarl erupted from his chest, his mask shattering in his grip. He had plenty, that thing didn’t matter.

What did fucking matter was the oldest log dating to this world that had been wiped from the bank until now. A golden sheen coated the numbers, preventing them from vanishing. Dream’s hand shook as he traced the letters, already preparing his own portal to get into this world and _teach this fucker a lesson._

THESEUS joined the Game.

Theseus’ name blurred as Dream’s hand left, glitching out to say… TommyInnit instead. Someone was aware of Dream and his world, aware of the gods, and very clearly aware of who Theseus was. If this was being hidden so well, then it was entirely _intentional_. Theseus was alive and Dream wasn’t sure if he wanted to scream or cheer. Maybe a bit of both. He felt the relief wash over him, knowing that Theseus was alive.

Dream shoved a portal forcibly into the world, sticking a foot in the door so-to-speak. He was very sure that Technoblade and Tubbo could find Theseus, but if this other Dream was powerful enough to mask the kidnapping of a godling, there was no telling what he would do to them if he found them anywhere near Theseus. Dream snickered, turning his hoodie a dark blue. He took the mask off, his eyes going black, freckles vanishing, and his hair darkening as well. Dream stepped through the portal.

Dream’s eyes blinked at the rather… blockish landscape around him. In the distance, he could see some tall towers and waving flags. It looked like a town, or maybe what qualified as a city. Dream waved his hand as grey words appeared in the sky.

_Nightmare has joined the Game._

Nightmare, hm? Dream’s head tilted to the side, his eyes narrowing as his smirk curved into a cruel smile. He’d be a nightmare, that was for sure. Once Theseus was safely evacuated from this world, Dream was going to burn it to the ground.

When Dream passed through the gates of the city, he stood idly, staring at shop signs and little posters hung around the walls. He hummed again, tilting his head at the sign for a bakery. Dream stepped through the doors, a small bell jingling at his entrance. A blonde girl was restocking buns behind the glass of the counter, her eyes glancing up and stiffening at Dream. He raised an eyebrow, rolling his gaze over the shelves. Perhaps he could get Theseus something from here, children enjoyed sugar highs, yes?

Dream plastered on a friendly smile as the girl behind the counter straightened.

“I haven’t seen you here before,” she was quiet, her eyebrows furrowing together. “There’s been a lot of new additions lately…”

“I am new. I go by Nightmare here. I was hoping you could tell me a bit about where I am, and how I might go about purchasing things.”

“Uh… well you’re in L’Manberg. Pretty much the only other city here except for Dream’s base, but uh. Nobody knows where it is. I’m Niki, I own the bakery here.” her gaze had averted at the first line and Dream smiled at her lie.

“I appreciate it.”

“You can pay for things in emeralds,” Niki said, waving her hand. “But you’d have to go mining for those, so-” Dream hummed again, bringing up his... inventory and pressing his hands on the empty slots. Within a second, those blank spaces filled up with little emeralds. Dream grabbed a few placeholders - could they only stack to 64? - and tossed them absently on the counter. Niki froze, her mouth open.

“I would like to purchase something… sweet. Something a child would like.” Dream tilted his head as Niki glanced from the emeralds to him.

“Are you,” Niki swallowed, grabbing a bag and a pair of tongs to place cookies neatly in a bag. Dream supposed they’d do. “Are you here for a child? I don’t- I don’t remember ever seeing a kid.”

“I suppose.” Dream hummed, accepting the bag from Niki. According to the rules of this world he’d pulled up, they’d stay fresh in his inventory, so he stored them away. “How about you tell me everything you know about the admin of this… SMP, and maybe we can have a pleasant conversation.” Dream let the cookies disappear from his hands, fixing his gaze on Niki. Even though he’d phrased it as a choice, they could both hear the threat hanging in the air between them.

Niki sighed, dragging her hand across her face. “Uh, okay… I can’t promise I can answer anything.”

“I’m sure you’ll find it very easy to speak once we begin,” Dream’s smile grew, his teeth flashing. “Now… do you know anything of a child called Theseus? Or I suppose, TommyInnit?”

The flinch at the name told Dream everything he needed to know.

\---

“What the hell is this place?” Technoblade breathed, fingers twitching for the sword at his side. He let Tubbo down, briefly glancing over the godling to make sure he wasn’t injured.

“I don’t know, but look Technoblade, look! The compass is moving, Theseus is moving and we’re gonna find him!” Tubbo excitedly grabbed at the string connecting him to Theseus, red arrow printed on the back of his eyelids.

“....you said you saw him.” Technoblade let Tubbo lead the way, following right at his side. He wasn’t about to let his guard down in such unknown territory. “Was he-” he hesitated. “Was he okay?”

“He seemed scared,” Tubbo made a small adjustment to their position, staring off into the forest approaching to their right. “There was some broken glass? I had a feeling he was running from something. I dunno what yet, thou- TECHNO!”

Technoblade whirled around just in time to block a hit from an incoming sword. The attacker was clearly _Dream_ , but different.

This man was clearly dressed like a hunter, his mask boasting a single crack going up the centre.

“Tubbo.” Technoblade kept his voice even, low. He was a god of _war_. While technically the Dream in their world could just dump him in a new reality if they’d ever fought, it was only because Technoblade couldn’t be defeated in battle. Not by him. Not by anyone. “Go find Theseus. I’ll deal with this.” Tubbo looked like he was about to protest until Technoblade shot him a hard glare. The godling scrambled away, sprinting for the forest.

“You will _ruin_ everything!” The not-Dream in front of him hissed, lunging at Technoblade. He parried, swords clashing with a sickening crack. Technoblade kicked out Dream’s legs as Dream planted a solid fist into his face. Dream crumbled on the ground as Technoblade stumbled back, wiping at his bloody nose and slashing his sword downwards. Dream rolled and sprung up, locking blades with Technoblade once more.

“I finally had that little _brat_ right where I wanted him, you really think you can just waltz into **my** server-”

Technoblade brought his secondary dagger out with his left hand, knocking Dream’s sword away and stabbing the thing down. It made contact with the fleshy parts of the not-Dream’s neck, blood spurting out in waves.

What this fool didn’t realize was that Technoblade was a god of war. Of death. Of destruction, of blood. When armies called for victory on the battlefield, it was _Technoblade_ they prayed to. But there was a hidden aspect of his godly being, one he kept close to his chest since he had failed to complete it-

Technoblade was the god of war, of blood, of death. Of protection.

And this _fucker_ had just called the best thing that had ever happened to Technoblade a _brat_.

He was going to enjoy this.

\---

Tubbo was so damn worried.

Worried for Technoblade.

He just wanted to be _home_ , where all he had to do was whisper Ranboo’s name and the god would be there, rocking him to sleep. Where he would take naps on Schlatt’s lap while he worked, the line of spirits absolutely silent so as not to wake him. When Quackity would take him out to see the bees flutter around the flowers.

But Tubbo knew he couldn’t go home, not until he had Theseus to take home with him. Tubbo closed his eyes as he sprinted, following that red arrow tug until it got stronger stronger stronger-

And Tubbo crashed straight into another person, a flash of blonde hair in his view before his head went sprawling, smacking it hard against the ground.

Tubbo’s world went black.


	5. Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Technoblade vs Dream
> 
> Niki spills the tea
> 
> Nightmare makes a deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Op okay I'm trying to draw each of the gods in this AU so people know what they look like. Let me know if there's any problems with the images, yes? I'll do a different god each chapter, so stay tuned!

God! Dream's official design :D

It took me waaay too long to figure out how to throw this into the fanfic.

ONTO THE CHAPTER ---

Technoblade’s sword swung forwards, metal _singing_ as it carved a path through the air. He couldn’t help the smile taking his face as he got close enough to see this Dream’s eyes widen. The man jumped away - faster, then? Techno could work with that.

The blade of Dream’s axe smashed against Techno’s sword, the other man’s arms shaking as he bore the weight of Techno’s rage.

He and Wilbur had been created of a form of destruction, Techno of physical and Wilbur of mental. Wilbur could wreck people’s minds, enchant them to do his bidding; and Techno just killed them outright. Although Techno had had several fun battles, ones where he slaughtered indiscriminately, he was always more powerful when he had something to _defend_.

The voices screeched from Techno’s head, chants of blood and Theseus spinning through his veins. Magic sparked to life around them as Dream got a hit on his leg, blade sinking into the flesh. Techno swung his sword up, smashing the blade into Dream’s shoulder. The mortal cried out, red pouring out as he jerked back. Techno grinned, feeling the wound close with the gold ichor seeping across his leg. The man’s face flashed.

“I had an idea of who you were,” Techno tilted his head as Dream spoke, circling the other. “But this confirms it.” Dream grinned wolfishly as he brought a small bottle up. It was filled with red blood, but what made Techno’s stomach drop was the _little flecks of gold in it_.

Godling blood.

Techno flung himself forward, rage burning red at the edges of his vision. He snapped his head to the left when Dream jumped out of the way, ankles flexing as he dodged Techno’s strike. Techno brought his shield up, the axe cracking into the wood just in time. He snarled, feeling the breath hot out of his mouth, fixing his gaze on Dream’s legs. He’d just have to cut one of them off, and this battle would be over.

“You know, his blood makes everything stronger,” Dream plucked the axe from the shield, bringing the blade up as Techno swung wildly at his face. That stupid, stupid mask _mocked_ him, the voices screaming for Techno to paint the trees red. “This world can’t function without it, I’m sure you wouldn’t miss one measely brat-”

Techno lunged and planted his fist right in the middle of the mask. The porcelain cracked, shattering under the weight of his strike. His knuckles _ached_ , bits of white stabbed into the skin. Dream was thrown to the ground, skidding slightly. His hands were shaking as he clutched at his face. There was blood everywhere, pieces of porcelain jutting out of his skin.

Techno hoped it didn’t take an eye. He’d wanted to remove those himself.

“Theseus is my _brother_ ,” Technoblade snarled. He relished in the way the man’s head snapped up, hands scrabbling for the axe. Techno stepped on the handle. “And I am the god of war. You’re nothing but-” Techno stabbed his sword through the man’s ankle, the blade slicing through the achilles’ tendon at the back.

“You-” Technoblade pulled his smaller daggers, driving them straight into the man’s head, carving out his eyes. With a fleshy _pop_ , they snapped out, little strings rolling around the ground.

“Will **never** -” Techno’s right hand wrapped around the man’s throat, slowly crushing in his windpipe.

“Touch him-” He resolved to ignore Dream’s wispy screams, planting his left fist into the man’s face over and over and _over_.

“Again.” Technoblade felt a sick sense of satisfaction, watching as the blood poured from Dream’s body before it dissolved into smoke. His eye twitched, watching as the smoke rose from the ground, heading into the air. Perhaps this was a world where Dream could come back, and if so-

_Dream was slain by Technoblade_ in the sky.

Technoblade’s head snapped out to the forest where he had sent Tubbo, eyes narrowed. He’d just have to find the godlings before Dream did, or find Dream first. He huffed, flicking his hand as the blood flew off his cloak. He usually wore red - it was easier to clean up when he didn’t have to worry about the stains - but he couldn’t help the nerves. He sheathed his sword, stepping away from the puddles of blood dotting the landscape.

He anxiously brushed his pants off, checking that there was no dirt to be seen. He hadn’t… he hadn’t seen Theseus in _years_ , he had to give off a good impression. Perhaps a gift was in order? Technoblade didn’t want Theseus to be scared of him, he knew he was large and imposing, but what could he-

His eyes flickered over to where Dream’s body had been, little blocks floating on the ground. Technoblade reached out to touch them, flinching when they were sucked into his body. He jumped as a grey screen with several boxes appeared in front him. An… inventory. He tilted his head, humming as he flicked through the items.

Some weapons, some potions. Some… dirt. He paused on one of the things. The axe Dream had fought him with. Technoblade pressed his fingers against the little icon, the weapon appearing in his hands. He swung it experimentally, noting that it had been called Nightmare. It shone with magic enchantments. It was well balanced, well made. A fine weapon. Technoblade was almost tempted to keep it, but-

It would make a wonderful gift for Theseus. Technoblade’s Blessing would ensure that Theseus could use it properly, after all. Technoblade hummed, satisfied, and hung the axe on his sheath. He’d better get started on finding Theseus, then.

He couldn’t track Tubbo the way that Tubbo’s gods could, so he resolved to find the kid’s trail anyway. Tubbo wasn’t exactly… well versed in the outside world, he’d spent most of his life stuck in the god’s domain after all. Nothing had the guts to hurt him in there.

Tubbo had snapped several branches and cut quite the path for himself through the bush. Technoblade gripped his sword and continued on. He’d find Theseus before nightfall with Tubbo’s Bond.

He wasn’t going to fail his brother again.

\---

Nightmare didn’t know anything was wrong until Nik’s shaking hands had dropped a teacup, the delicate porcelain smashing over the table. She cursed, hands jerking away as she stared down at the little screen in her hands.

“Something the matter?” Niki had invited him in, well, Nightmare supposed he’d invited himself in for some tea while Niki told him everything she knew. Her eyes flashed up to his and he raised an eyebrow at the fear in them.

“Dream’s lost a life.” she was shaking.

“A life?”

“Everyone has three,” Niki wrung her hands, dark tea dripping off the table. “Uhm. Dream just lost one to- to someone named… Technoblade? This has never happened before, Dream’s the admin-”

“Ahh, I see. I’m glad to see my associate is doing well,” Nightmare chuckled darkly, raising his own tea to his lips. He didn’t need to look to see how Niki’s eyes widened, her body stilling. Nightmare waved his pinky, opening his eyes as her teacup put itself back together. Her eyes focused on the porcelain as the cracks rewound themselves like they had never been there to begin with. “I’m willing to offer you a deal, here.”

Niki’s hand shook as she went to grab her cup, thumb tracing over the cracks. “I-I’m listening.”

“I am a god and so is Technoblade,” Dream lowered his mug, tracing his thumb around the lip. “Ten years ago, the youngest godling, Theseus, was stolen from us.”

“...Godlings?”

“Gods are normally born of a need in the world, they spring from an influx of power full-grown. But sometimes, and I can’t overstate how _rare_ it is, but a child would be born. Mostly mortal, until they snap into their godhood,” Nightmare tilted his head as Niki’s eyes searched him for any trace of a lie. “We were blessed with two godlings. One elder, one younger. Ten years ago, the younger vanished from our world. Nothing in our powers could do would find him or confirm him dead. We searched for _years_.” Nightmare couldn’t help the grief clouding his tone.

“I’m sorry-”

“The elder led us here. We are searching for our missing godling,” Nightmare narrowed his eyes, watching as Niki sat back in her hair. “If you have any, and I mean _any_ information-”

“What would I get in return?” Niki’s gaze fell.

“I would owe you a favour. You could call it in any time, for anything. One wish for _my_ one wish.” Nightmare held up a single finger. Niki’s eyes grappled with his as she tightened her hands on the mug. Her gaze fell to the cup. Perhaps she was recalling that small spike of magic. It was nothing compared to what Nightmare could _really_ do, but-

“Dream. The admin, smiley face mask and green hoodie,” the words fell out Niki’s mouth almost faster than Nightmare could catch them. “He comes around every so often with-with locks of hair, or blood, sometimes little pieces of skin… you can use pretty much anything he brings in potions or enchanting weapons. It makes _everything_ stronger, to survive in this world you need to have that help. Dream has everyone by the balls for the-the… additives.”

Nightmare was silent. He could feel his magic blowing at his skin, begging to begin untangling this world. He couldn’t do it, _not yet_. They would suffer more if he could just wait.

“Dream has a small cabin in the woods, far from here. It’s… pretty much as far away from civilization as you can get. When he was busy in the last war, he got me to deliver goods there. I thought I saw a kid there once, but-”

“You thought he couldn’t die,” Nightmare chugged the rest of his tea, feeling the warm liquid soak his throat. “You were _afraid_ , and now you know he can be killed. Show me this cabin.” Nightmare stood, holding his arm out. Niki was more hesitant, head bobbing down as she grabbed his arm, letting Nightmare lead her up and away from the table.

“I would suggest you save that favour,” Nightmare glanced at her. “With what I have planned, you’ll need it.”

The bell chimed and the pair stepped out of the bakery. Nightmare hoped he could give those cookies to Theseus soon. He wouldn’t put it past Technoblade to have already found a gift for Theseus.

“Are you- planning on rescuing that kid?” Niki asked. Her grip was tight, like she was afraid to lose Nightmare.

“Of course. I was going to give him these cookies,” Nightmare hummed. “His actual brother is Technoblade, the god of war, but nothing will make Technoblade angrier than Theseus liking me more. I’m sure Technoblade has found him a gift as well, but I was planning on upstaging him at least _once_ -”

Nightmare’s rant was cut off at Niki’s laughing.

“I’m sure we can pick something else up on the way, if you’re really trying to make this Technoblade fellow mad.” Niki’s laugh cut off as her head fell down, leading Nightmare out of L’Manburg. “I… I always felt- guilty. That I hadn’t done anything for that kid. Checked up on him, at least. I’m glad that I have the chance to redeem myself.”

Nightmare hummed.

\---

Tommy honestly couldn’t believe it.

Well, he could, but-

Really, who was _stupid_ enough to come barrelling through the woods without even their head turned the right way? And that impact had _hurt_. Stupid kid had horns that had hit Tommy’s chest pretty hard. A quick glance revealed that the kid just had a little bag with him with bottles of water and some food. He didn’t even have any weapons.

The compass pulsed again, burning through Tommy’s pocket. He cursed, hands finding the metal and bringing it up.

“What? Why-” the arrow was pointing straight at the other kid. Tommy held his breath, feeling the itch as blood dried on his arm from where the glass had cut him. He walked in a slow circle, the compass keeping up with the pulsing. The arrow circled with him. Always pointing back to the kid.

Tommy approached, reaching out a hand. When he came into contact with the boy’s shoulder, the compass vanished into streaks of thin golden light.

His hand felt too light and his eyes fell on the kid again. _Your Tubbo_. Was… was this a Tubbo? Tommy shook his head, not a Tubbo. Just-just Tubbo.

Before he knew what he was doing, Tommy was slinging ...Tubbo over his shoulder, checking to make sure the kid wasn’t too hurt. He’d probably just been startled - he wasn’t bleeding anywhere, but he’d smacked his face pretty hard on Tommy. Tommy picked up the pace, heading out and further into the woods.

Dream had always told him _not_ to go there, and something about today, about this Tubbo, had him feeling brave.

The bruise on Tommy’s face pulsed with pain, aching over his cheekbone as anxiety rumbled in his stomach.

He’d have to find some shelter before night fell, or they’d get killed by monsters. Tommy remembered too many lonely nights huddled in his bed, shaking with covers clutched in his hands. Dream was gone those nights when the monsters were too close for sleep, echoes of zombified groaning accompanying his tears.

The kid on his back twitched, smacking his lips and startling when he realized he was on someone’s back. The kid jerked back and Tommy held onto his arms, turning his head to stare the kid down.

The brunette froze, staring into his eyes, before slowly lifting a hand and cupping it around Tommy’s uninjured cheek. He tried not to flinch, remembering the last time someone had come at him like that.

“Th-Theseus…?” the boy’s eyes were questioning, filled with tears, before he shouted, wrapping his arms around Tommy.

“Theseus, whuh-” Tommy struggled, eyes scanning the horizon. “Get off of me! My name is Tommy-”

“You can feel it too, can’t you?” the kid grabbed Tommy’s hand and pressed it _hard_ against his chest. Tommy froze at the brunette’s heartbeat.

It felt exactly like the compass. Tommy’s eyes shot open as the same strands of gold the compass had vanished with wrapped from the brunette’s wrist to Tommy’s, ropes tying them together.

“You’re… you’re the Tubbo. You really are.” Tommy’s eyes searched Tubbo’s as he nodded, tears falling down his cheeks.

“We need to find Technoblade, he’s- oh gosh, you don’t know.” Tubbo started rambling, hands twitching at his side and Tommy grabbed his wrist.

“What we _need_ to do, is find somewhere to hide!” Tommy took off, dragging Tubbo behind him. His hands shook, blood pumping. He’d found the Tubbo, Tubbo, but what else? What next? Go home to-

“We need to find your brother!” Tubbo’s shout had Tommy’s head snapping backwards.

“Dream?! We can’t go to him, he’s going to hurt-”

“Not Dream! Technoblade! We’re here to rescue you, Theseus! I’ve-” Tommy ducked as a branch came far too close to his face. Tubbo winced as the needles got in his hair. “I’ve been following our Bond, we’re going to take you home, finally-”

Tommy froze, Tubbo crashing into his back. There must’ve been a spawner somewhere in the caves ahead, because there were _way too many fucking zombie_ s and neither of them had any weapons. Tubbo fell silent as he seemed to realize the danger they were in.

Tommy backpedaled, trying to drag Tubbo with him, until an arrow flew through the air. Tommy moved before he could think about it, the barbed tip sinking into his shoulder. Tommy cried out, falling to one knee as Tubbo screamed as though _he’d_ been shot. The skeleton stared Tommy with unseeing eye sockets.

“Tommy!” there were hands pulling at his injured shoulder, brown hair in the corner of his eyes. “You have to listen to me!” soft fingers were pulling at his gloves and Tommy cried out again as the marks on his palms finally stopped their complaining. He couldn’t he couldn’thecouldnt-

“Technoblade Blessed you, when you were a child! Slap your hands together and call him, he’ll answer! Please Tommy, you-” dimly, Tommy could recognize that Tubbo had dodged another flying arrow. The pain had made him sluggish, but-

When he moved his right shoulder, pain exploded. Stars sparked to life behind his eyes and Tommy sucked in a pained breath. When he could open his eyes again, Tubbo was yelling something. Something-something Technoblade, something-something magic.

Tommy stared down at the marks, his fingers widening as the skeleton’s arms raised, string drawing back to loose another arrow. The zombies closed in from the back and Tommy couldn’t think around their sounds.

The marks lit up when Tommy powered through his shoulder, cursing under his breath as the pain spiked terribly. He could see the pink light arcing through his fingers, like he was holding a little lantern.

“Technoblade.” Tommy barely got the name out, but it was enough.

It was enough.

His vision filled with pink as the Blessing activated, and for one horrible moment, Tommy was sure that- that whoever this _Technoblade_ was, he wasn’t going to answer. And Tommy would be alone here to die so Tubbo could escape.

Until it did. His body flooded with power as pink raced up his arms, tightening bands up to his shoulders. The pain decreased until it wasn’t there at all.

Tommy suddenly felt unstoppable.

He flexed his hands, the bands racing down his legs. When he had asked for a bit, he had been given _everything_ in return.

His eye snapped around. Tommy had a minute to wonder what the fuck was controlling his body when it launched forwards. He closed his eyes, not wanting to look as he was sure his death became imminent-

Tommy thought he must have blacked out somewhere along the way. When he finally opened his eyes, the marks on his palms were freshly pink, freshly glowing. Tubbo was staring at him, tears falling down his cheeks - shucks, he certainly cried a lot, huh? - and a bunch of dead zombie and skeleton bits scattered around the woods.

Tubbo’s head snapped up as someone tore their way through the forest, breathing heavy and panic in their eyes.

Tommy had just enough time to register that this someone had pink hair - really pink? Of all the colours - and weirdass teeth coming out of his lower jaw. Tommy stared into wide red eyes, before raising an eyebrow, words slurring as he collapsed.

“Shtupid bish-” Tommy heard a shout, his head hitting something soft and fluffy instead of the ground he’d expected.

He felt a hand card through his hair, sharp nails scratching _just_ in the right spots before he nodded off.

His last thought was that Dream had never touched his hair like this.

Tommy quite liked it.


	6. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They have a collective chat.
> 
> Techno somehow, gets angrier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG okay
> 
> Someone asked about fanart and I would LOVE fanart, if you wanna tag me anywhere I'm j.k_kat on Instagram, please also send any fanart there so I can properly lose my mind over its beauty <3
> 
> As always, lemme know if there any problems with the picture, yeah?

God!Technoblade

\---

“Theseus?” Tommy groaned at the voice, flicking his hand in the air. He could feel the sharp points of horns under his fingers and jerked awake. As he sat up, his shoulder  _ screeched _ in pain and he doubled over.

“Whoah, whoah!” hands grabbed at his body, gently leaning him back down onto- onto a… cloak? Tommy’s head turned, vision swimming with nausea as his fingers gripped the soft plush fur around his neck. His gaze returned up, his vision blurring as the dizziness pulled at the sides of his eyes. He was pretty sure that the… Tubbo was in front of him. At his gaze, Tubbo smiled, blunted teeth peeking through his lips.

“You’ve been out for maybe half an hour. Technoblade went to get some wood to start a fire. He found this cave and sealed the entrance up,” Tubbo pointed at the mouth of the cave covered in a wall of dirt. “It was super weird but… whatever works, I guess. How are you feeling?” Tubbo launched himself at his bag, pulling out a bottle of water. Tommy hummed in thanks as it was opened and offered to him. When he’d swallowed a few mouthfuls, Tubbo pulled the bottle away, staring down at Tommy.

“M’dizzy. Shoulder hurts,” Tommy looked behind him, huffing as Tubbo tucked the edges of the cloak around his body, patting the creases in. “What the fuck kind of name is Technoblade?” he wondered. He could feel his voice buzzing in his throat like he’d used too much power screaming. Tommy raised an eyebrow as Tubbo stared at him before shaking his head, brown curls flying everywhere. Tubbo’s fingers traced around Tommy’s wrist, lightly, giving him the option to move away. Tommy swallowed the anxiety,  _ Dream had left bruises last time _ , and let Tubbo turn his head over, exposing the strange mark on his palm.

Tommy blinked at it. He could remember thinking it had gotten brighter, but he’d chalked it up to his injury- it was  _ bright _ . Like a little beacon. Tommy thought he’d still be able to see it even through his gloves, and Dream would be so mad. His stomach curled as he thought of his-

“Technoblade’s your brother,” Tubbo said, slowly, carefully. Tommy ripped his eyes away from the mark to stare at Tubbo. “He’s not human and neither are we.” Tommy opened his mouth to try and refute that, but Tubbo shook his head and Tommy snapped his jaw shut with a  _ click _ . “He’s the god of war and bloodshed. We’re godlings… baby gods basically. We haven’t come into our inheritance yet, so we don’t have an official title. But it’s only a matter of time.” Tubbo stared down at the marks, a soft grin playing at his face. “You were kidnapped ten years ago and taken here. We’ve… we’ve all searched nonstop.”

“I’m-  _ what _ -”

“This is the Blessing Technoblade gave you when you were a baby. He promised to give you strength whenever you asked for it and to guide your weapons true, that nothing would break in your hands. That everything would hold up for you when you needed its power,” Tubbo’s fingers traced around the mark. Tommy felt a spike of energy radiate from the mark and he sucked in a breath as it tingled all the way down his arm. “This is his Claim. It’s the only active one-”

“Wait, what about the rest of the- of the marks?” Tommy felt his breath catch in his throat as tears welled in Tubbo’s eyes again. “The ones-”

“On your back and throat? You have another brother, Technoblade’s twin - the god of sound, Wilbur. And your dad. King Philza, the king of the gods and the god of the sky.” Tubbo reached out, gripping the edge of Tommy’s turtleneck and pulling it down to reveal the little pattern etched onto his throat. Tommy didn’t understand why, but somehow he knew he could  _ trust _ Tubbo. “They would have gone inactive when they believed you to be dead,” Tubbo hummed and tugged the cloth down until the mark was visible. Tommy’s throat suddenly cleared, no longer feeling so scratchy. “Claims are a two-way street, you ask for the gods’ power and it’s up to them to respond. Wilbur was the first to give up, Philza lasted longer… even if you called for their power right now, they wouldn’t respond. They’ve blocked the Claim off, they couldn’t stand knowing you weren’t on the other side of it.”

“Then why did the ones on my hands work?” Tommy lifted his palm, staring at the little marks. “I hit my palms together and said ‘Technoblade’-”

“It worked because he’s always believed you were still alive. He never gave up, and when you asked for power, he uhh… turned the faucet all the way, so to speak,” Tubbo gave a wry grin as Tommy pushed himself - slowly - to a sitting position. “He gave you too much for your first time using it and you got overwhelmed, so you passed out. I’m pretty sure he’s out there punching trees to try and punish himself for it.”

“I-” Tommy shook, curling his arms around his body. Tubbo hummed in response, gently circling Tommy and leaning in. Tubbo’s hair was right in Tommy’s face, and he could smell pine and something flowery and- it smelled like home. Like a field of bumblebees. “This is a lot- you… you like bees.” Tommy threw it out, feeling like he was grasping for handholds he didn’t have in his own mind. Tubbo let out a watery chuckle, his arms tightening around Tommy. Tommy felt like he was spinning, out of control, but somehow, Tubbo’s hug was grounding him.

Dream hadn’t hugged him.

“Yeah… I love bees.”

“What’s-what’s the deal with us, exactly?” Tubbo pulled away from Tommy’s chest at the question and he immediately missed the contact.

“We’re Bonded. Basically we were just great friends as toddlers, so we accidentally became two halves of the same whole,” Tubbo took his hand as Tommy took a breath. He squeezed, experimenting, and Tubbo squeezed back. “We’ll be two parts of the same thing when we reach our godly inheritance. We’ve- the Bond was how I was able to find you here. I wanted to see you so bad that it manifested into a little compass.”

“I had a compass too,” Tommy could barely get the words out. “My bro- Dream. Dream kept trying to destroy it, or lose it, but it wouldn’t go away. Until I grabbed you earlier.”

“It’s okay, I can teach you how to use your Bond when we get home. Just so you know,” Tubbo looked Tommy right in the eye as he tried to suppress his shaking. “I can feel your emotions. I can’t read your mind, but I kinda know what’s going on in there. I’m not looking on purpose, but I can’t turn it off either.” Tommy let out a breath, nodding and pursing his lips.

“Thanks for telling me.”

“You deserve that at least,” Tubbo leaned in to ruffle his hair, and Tommy wanted to  _ melt _ . Tubbo didn’t have nails, so before he’d fallen asleep, who had-

Light poured in from the entrance, and Tommy’s head snapped to the back as someone  _ absolutely fucking huge _ came through the doorway. He had on this weird ass off-white shirt, little jewels decorating his ears. He stopped short at the sight of Tommy and Tommy tried not to shrink under his red eyes. This guy had pink hair-

“Technoblade!” Tubbo shrieked from beside his ear, and Tommy nearly jumped out of his skin, flinching to the side. Tubbo gave him a worried side-eye, curling a hand around Tommy’s uninjured shoulder. “Sorry, Theseus. Uh, this is your brother- his name is Technoblade… well I guess I already said that didn’t I-”

Technoblade stepped closer, his eyes wild and  _ afraid _ .

“ _ Run _ .” he gasped out, before his head lurched forwards.

Tommy tensed at the same time Tubbo did, Tubbo’s voice dying out as Technoblade fell to his knees, and then to the ground with a wet  _ thump _ .

There was an axe buried in his skull.

Tommy’s gaze flickered up, fear coursing through his body as Dream stood there, panting. Tommy’s hands shook as Dream adjusted his mask, brushing his hoodie off and holding a hand out expectantly. Tommy froze as Tubbo leapt into the space between them.

He couldn’t-

He’d-

“Tommy. Here, now, or the kid dies.”

Tommy wasn’t sure if it was him or Tubbo screaming.

Dream leaned down, plucking the axe out of Technoblade’s skull. The blade shone darkly with blood, dripping off the edge and sizzling on the ground. It was gold, yet somehow, Dream’s signature Nightmare axe still made it look black. Dream reared the axe back like he was going to strike and Tommy  _ moved _ . The blade cut into his cheek, but went no further. Tommy opened an eye, staring up at Dream’s mask.

God, he  _ hated _ that mask.

Tubbo was shrieking behind him but Dream stepped onto his chest, boot coming slowly down on Tubbo’s ribcage. He held out a hand again. Tommy didn’t think he’d ever felt so afraid in his  _ life _ . 

Tommy couldn’t let Tubbo be hurt on his account.

He took it.

Dream sheathed his axe, his wrist tightening around Tommy’s hand. Hard enough to  _ bruise _ . Tommy was dragged out the cave, Dream placing obsidian blocks over the entrance. Tommy panicked, fingers twitching out-

“Wait, they can’t breathe if-”

“ **Shut your mouth** .” Dream  _ snarled _ , and Tommy snapped his jaw shut. “You really thought your little ruse would  _ work _ ? I know everything, Tommy, and don’t you ever  _ fucking _ forget that,” Dream dragged Tommy further into the woods, Tommy’s head craning back as he stared at the vanishing cave. “I was willing to let you stay in that little cabin, but since you’ve decided to  _ disobey _ , I am going to lock you up for  _ good _ . There is no escape from Pandora’s Vault, and you’re going to stay in there and be obedient.” Tommy couldn’t breathe.

“The only worthwhile thing about you is your damn blood. Nobody wants you, nobody  _ loves _ you. I was the  _ only _ person who ever gave a single damn about you, and look what you’ve done now!” Tommy couldn’t breathe. “You’ve betrayed me. This,” the punch sent Tommy reeling, falling backwards into the grass as Dream lifted his leg, grinding his toes into Tommy’s bad shoulder. He screamed, his throat catching as the pain got so much  _ worse _ . “Is all your fault, you  _ worthless, good for nothing, shit- _ ”

Tommy felt his throat wind tighter and tighter and  _ tighter _ , until there was too much pressure. Everything was too much - too much pain, too much-

What had Tubbo said?

The mark on Tommy’s throat  _ burned _ as his voice broke through Dream’s rampage.

“ **WILBUR** -”

Dream smashed his toes in harder to Tommy’s shoulder, but this time-

When Tommy screamed, his voice  _ exploded  _ out. He felt Dream’s foot leave his shoulder, risking a glance back to see that Tommy’s brother- Tommy’s abuser- Tommy’s-

Dream had been thrown backwards, smashing into a tree trunk. The surrounding trees had all had their middle blocks gone, the rest of the wood falling around them. For a minute, Tommy locked eyes with Dream, the mask having been smashed to bits by  _ whatever _ had come out of his throat. He thought about helping him.

Tommy picked himself up and  _ ran _ .

\---

From the palace, where he’d been taking a wonderful nap, a respite from the sheer  _ chaos _ that Tubbo’s disappearance had caused-

Wilbur had been dreaming about Theseus.

Something tugged at him, an  _ ask _ , a  _ cry _ , Theseus  _ needed _ -

And Wilbur gave.

His eyes flew open when he realized it wasn’t a dream, the feeling going as quickly as it had come. Wilbur dragged his nails around his throat, eyes wide as  _ hope _ bloomed in his chest-

“PHIL!” Wilbur shrieked, launching himself out of bed. He skidded down the hallway, ignoring the servants’ startled looks. “PHIL! HE- I FELT HIM-”

Wilbur burst into the conference room, the gods blinking at his dishevelled state. Phil, as always, stood at the head of the table, a map spread over the table they were surrounding.

Wilbur’s breath came in gasps, concerned looks thrown as happy tears dribbled down his cheeks. He raked a hand through his unruly hair, trying to stifle the laugh bubbling out of his throat.

“Theseus just called for my Blessing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to spain without the s
> 
> Nobody panic, Techno's gonna be fine. Takes harder shit than that to keep him down


	7. Tears

God of Sound, Wilbur

\---

Technoblade really couldn’t believe himself and his own foolishness.

He’d left the axe on a nearby tree stump and had started punching trees. He pretended he was getting firewood, he had told Tubbo that anyway, but he couldn’t believe he’d overwhelmed Theseus like that. Maybe if Theseus had used his Blessing his entire life, that amount of magic would have been fine - but it had nearly stopped his heart. Technoblade had to manually force Theseus’ blood to keep pumping until the shock wore off, and his body could operate on its own.

Dream had appeared out of  _ nowhere _ , slicing through the air with a second axe, and Technoblade had been too distracted to dodge in time. He’d slunk off, leading Dream on a wild goose chase, until he was sure he’d lost him.

He had just been about to gather the godlings in his arms and take off with them when Dream had put Nightmare through his fucking skull.

It hurt.

Technoblade knew he was laying on the ground. His nails kept catching dirt and gravel as his hands twitched. It took a lot to kill gods - he’d shake this off - but he needed a few minutes to recover. Those few minutes were all Dream had needed to send Tubbo crying, to take Theseus-

Technoblade had never hated himself more.

He could hear Theseus shrieking in pain, muffled, like they were separated, and he desperately tried to push himself up. He failed, vision going black as Tubbo cried out again. Technoblade felt his own blood snort up his nostril as he tried to take a breath, neck spasming as his body healed as fast as it could.

Tubbo shrieked, curling into himself as Technoblade finally forced his eyes open. Theseus’ voice had screamed for Wilbur-

He had just enough time to grab Tubbo and plant his hands over the godling’s ears. The sound immediately burst both of his eardrums, Technoblade bellowing at more of his golden ichor dripping out of his ears, Tubbo staring at him with fear in his eyes. This, too, would heal but-

Technoblade grinned, blood sinking through his teeth. Theseus had  _ asked _ , Wilbur had  _ responded _ , the others would  _ know _ . They’d come with reinforcements and Technoblade would get to watch this entire world  _ burn _ .

He shook his head, trying to will the eardrums to heal faster- but his body had to focus on the more pressing concern first. Patching his skull back up, then the ears. He could feel, though, the rumble as something fell onto the ground, vibrations shaking the earth under them. Trees, maybe? Tubbo’s mouth was moving but Technoblade couldn’t lip read. He shook his head, keeping his hands over Tubbo’s ears. Who knows how long Theseus’ would keep up the sound, and even if Technoblade couldn’t hear it, he knew damn well that Tubbo wouldn’t heal from burst eardrums.

Once the hole in his skull had gone from a crack, to an outline, to healed, his hearing came back slowly. When he was able to determine if Theseus had finished, Technoblade let Tubbo’s ears go.

“What was that?” Tubbo asked, hands coming up to cup the back of Technoblade’s head. “What happened? Can you hear me?”

“I can hear you,” Technoblade’s own voice vibrated a little hard in his ears and he shuddered. Wilbur had burst his eardrums more than once, after all, but it sucked every time it happened. “Dream got the jump on me. And  _ that _ ,” Technoblade looked over his shoulder, tapping the new… blocks that had been placed over the cave entrance. They were almost black. Obsidian? “Was Wilbur’s Blessing. Not sure how Theseus unlocked it n’all, but I’m not going to complain about it right now.”

“I… I guess not,” Tubbo looked away, removing his hands after finding no evidence of the injury. “Theseus looked so scared when that other Dream walked in.” Technoblade gave Tubbo a Look TM . 

“That’s why I’m going to kill that bastard, and we’re going to drag Theseus home whether he likes it or  _ not _ .” Technoblade took a breath, bringing a knee under him and rising to half his height. He used Tubbo’s shoulder for help in standing. His body was aching for one of those… naps, that Wilbur liked to take, but Technoblade had no time for rest. “He’s clearly been abused. He might think he owes it to his abuser to stay, but I won’t let that happen. If I have to hog tie him and lock him in the castle, so be it.”

“Oh yeah, I’m sure that’s gonna make him want to come with us.” Tubbo rolled his eyes, letting Technoblade use him as a crutch. If he wasn’t about to collapse, Technoblade would have been tempted to smack him upside the head.

“When did you get so snarky?” he muttered, glaring down at Tubbo. The godling shrugged and Technoblade could feel the weight of the kids’ judgement staring him down.

“I’ve always been snarky. You just don’t normally say such stupid things.” Tubbo sassed, sticking his tongue out. Technoblade went to grab it, but the little shit sucked it back before he could snatch it. When the blocks at the entrance of the cave shifted, his head snapped to the side. He let out a curse under his breath, shoving Tubbo behind him. Little pieces of obsidian scattered the ground before it broke through completely.

Standing there was  _ their _ Dream, decked out in his full god regalia and skin shining gold. Beside him was a young lady, blonde hair, looking nervously at the puddles of gold on the ground.

“Does the great Technoblade need some help?” Dream’s smirk was pulled under the edges of his mask and Technoblade snarled, not looking the man in the eyes.

With his luck, he’d be hearing about this little  _ rescue _ until the end of eternity.

\---

The gods had quickly discovered Dream’s absence after Wilbur’s announcement. They  _ also _ couldn’t get ahold of Technoblade, which Wilbur deemed as nothing but absolutely suspicious.

“They had to have known,” Wilbur had finally gotten dressed, attempted to tame his hair, and was trying to make the other gods take him seriously. Sort of like he hadn’t just burst into their meeting with nothing but a pair of boxers and sheep slippers. “Otherwise they’d be here. Dream vanishes all the time, sure, but it isn’t like Techno to just… disappear.” it was fine, though. Wilbur was still riding off the high of having the connection to Theseus reforged.

Phil was again, seated at the head of the table, staring down at their map with hands over his mouth. A bloody good storm was absolutely  _ raging _ outside, rain and lightning pelting the mortals harder than Wilbur had seen since the first few weeks Theseus had been missing. Phil was uh. Rather  _ upset _ , then.

“Can you track him?” Phil’s eyes found Wilbur’s and he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.  _ Track who? _ Wilbur thought.  _ Say his name. _ “...Theseus.” Phil finally gave, eyes darting to the side as grief overcame his expression. Wilbur didn’t understand why he was still- they knew Theseus was alive!

“I can’t pinpoint it,” Wilbur admitted, digging into his powers. Theseus had asked so briefly for power, and while Wilbur’s Blessing had been reinstated, it still wasn’t perfectly solid. “I think Dream knows where he is, and Techno by association, because I’m pretty damn sure he isn’t in this world. I can’t sense him at all here, but I know he’s-” Wilbur waved a hand in the air, trying to imagine the multiverse in the multitudes of bubbles as Dream had explained it. “-somewhere.”

“I can’t believe Tubbo was right.” Ranboo traced lithe fingers over the map, eyebrows furrowing. “Do you think… do you think they took him? If they knew what world Theseus was in, do you think they might’ve-”

“If they did, I’m going to  _ kill _ them.” Schlatt snarled, smashing his own palms onto the table. From beside him, Quackity raised an eyebrow.

“If Tubbo did get brought along to try and find him, then he’s with Dream  _ and  _ Technoblade,” the man placed a comforting hand on Schlatt’s shoulder, trying to ease some of the tension. Wilbur had never liked Schlatt - he was neutral towards Quackity - but this? He could understand. He had felt the same when they thought Theseus to be dead. “I can’t think of better guardians for him, no matter where they ended up. And if they bring Theseus back, think of how much happier Tubbo will be.” Quackity shook his head, Schlatt turning to face his Bonded half. “You know as well as I do how much Theseus’ disappearance hurt Tubbo.”

“Theseus had no way of getting to another world on his own,” Phil’s voice cut through the tension and Wilbur turned to look at his father. Phil’s gaze was fixed solidly downwards, refusing to make eye contact. “I think we can safely rule out Dream having been involved in his disappearance, he was as distraught at the rest of us and he looked harder than most, despite his duties.”

“What are you getting at?” Wilbur shook his head, tracing his symbol on his arm. He hoped that Theseus would ask for his power again so he could just… find him faster.

“Someone from this other world must have brought him in intentionally,” Phil’s eyes narrowed and a rather disobedient spike of lightning lit up the windows outside the room, casting dark shadows on Phil’s face. “If that’s the case, then they likely know what we are and what Theseus is. They need him for some… purpose. George,” Phil’s head turned to look at their resident Dream-wrangler. Naturally, that wasn’t George’s actual godly title, but he did enough Dream-wrangling for Wilbur to consider it his title anyway. “Have you gotten ahold of Dream?”

“He left me on read. He certainly saw it, he’s just being a bitch,” George frowned down at his communicator. “I told him to tell us where Theseus is and- oh. He sent me a smiley face.” George sighed and Wilbur tried to imagine his eye twitching under his goggles. George started furiously typing before sighing again, this time with a certain  _ gusto _ Wilbur could only associate with being a Dream wrangler. “I got nothing here, Phil. I threatened to take his collection of masks, but he just sent me another smiley face.”

“Of course,” Phil sighed, covering his eyes with his hands. “Just… keep me updated. And everyone else, prepare like we’re going into war. We have no idea when Dream will let us in, so just- be patient and get ready for a  _ fight _ to get our godlings back.” there were solemn nods across the table as the other gods filtered out, George muttering under his breath about smiley faces being typed the wrong way. Wilbur stayed seated, staring at his dad.

When the last god had left, the door shutting closed behind them, Phil had let himself crumble. His shoulder sank, and Wilbur stood to hug his dad, arms tightening around Phil’s frame.

“Why hasn’t he called for me?” Phil’s voice was quiet, voice shaky with tears. “Why- why wouldn’t he-”

“Maybe he doesn’t know, Phil. It’s been ten years- he was so little when he was… you can’t expect him to remember.” Wilbur stroked his dad’s back, sighing sadly. Wilbur would’ve done  _ anything _ to have Theseus back in their arms again.

“I remember,” Phil cried. “I remember.”

“I know you do.” Wilbur couldn’t do anything but hold on.


	8. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It felt like coming home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo no drawing today and smaller chapter than normal, the weather has been absolutely _fantastic_ as of late, and I have been on the Pain Train heading straight for Migraine Valley.
> 
> Population me.
> 
> SO I wrote some fluff to keep the sanity intact. I'll see y'all on Monday.
> 
> Rest up.
> 
> You're gonna need the emotional capacity.

"Oh my my  _ my _ , isn't this precious?" Dream waved his hand, the blocks of obsidian that had blocked their path before melting away at the god's powers. "Why hello, Tubbo," Dream stepped into the cave, gently grabbing Tubbo's hand and hoisting him up. After a quick check for any injuries, he let out a short hum. "You gave everyone quite a scare. Have you located Theseus?"

"Yeah, but the other Dream grabbed him and took off," Tubbo twirled his fingers around, playing with the tips of his nails. He checked to the side, blinking at how disgruntled Technoblade seemed. "We heard him call for Wilbur's Blessing, did you see him?"

"No," Dream tilted his head thoughtfully. "But I'm sure he isn't far. Saw the blast zone, anyway. This…  _ other _ Dream wasn't there. I'm sure Theseus couldn't have gone far."

Tubbo looked behind the god of reality, blinking at the lady with golden hair. She noticed his gaze and smiled half-heartedly.

"Ah, I nearly forgot," Dream flicked his hand, golden bangles jangling around his wrist. "This is my new associate, Niki. She knows where Theseus has been living while he's been here. If I was a betting man," Dream smirked and Tubbo suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, knowing  _ damn well _ that Dream bet on anything. "I would think he would head there first."

"What direction is it?" Tubbo stared at Niki. She pointed off towards the Northwest, and Tubbo nodded. He closed his eyes and pulled up the mental image of Theseus- his Bonded was still running, but was headed in the direction Niki had pointed out. "Alright," Tubbo whispered. "Let's go find him."

"I'm gettin' real tired of this goose chase shit," Technoblade grumped, clapping a hand down  _ hard _ on Tubbo's shoulder and fixing him with a look that nearly had the godling shrinking away. "I want my brother, I want him locked up where none of this will  _ ever _ happen again, and I want it  _ now _ ." Technoblade almost snarled, and Tubbo couldn't help but share his frustration. They'd been so close- Theseus had been right there.

"He's scared," Tubbo looked up at Technoblade. And though the god's expression was hard, Tubbo knew he was listening. "As much as he wants  _ this _ , wants a family, the… other Dream did something real bad to him, Technoblade. He thinks he doesn't deserve to be happy. He's just used to being controlled." Tubbo shuddered at the growl that tore itself out of Technoblade's throat. Dream,  _ their _ Dream, had hidden his expression behind his mask.

"Then they will teach him otherwise," Dream nodded, with finality, to himself. He turned from the entrance to the cave, checking briefly with Tubbo to see if the direction was correct. Tubbo nodded, sighing as his horns started itching again. "I trust that Wilbur, Phil, and yourself-" Dream tilted his head to stare at Technoblade. "-will guide him from this point forward. And even if you do mess up, or trip, or falter along the way, the rest of us will be here to assist. George is already blowing my communicator up. We've been found out."

"Oh gods," Tubbo briefly got the sense he was about to vomit. "I'm gonna be in  _ so much trouble _ ." Technoblade huffed out a laugh from beside him before Dream whirled around.

"Oh,  _ not just you _ ," Dream wiggled his finger in Tubbo's face. "They know that  _ we know _ where Theseus is and they're demanding to be let in. I've gotten no less than thirty different messages from Philza, ranging from begging all the way to threats, and if you would ever check your communicator,  _ Technoblade _ ," Technoblade wasn't laughing anymore and if Tubbo wasn't already contemplating the end of his too-short existence, he might've found it funny. "You'd know that all three of us are in for it when we get back. My master plan is going to be to throw Tubbo and Theseus at them, let them worry over the godlings, and escape out the back."

"We're not being your bait!" Tubbo shrieked, stomping his foot and throwing himself forwards to try and grab the ridiculous cape thingy flowing from Dream's waist. "If I'm going down, so are you!"

Dream cackles as he dodges, trying to hide behind Technoblade as Tubbo lunges for him. It reminds Tubbo of the times Dream would let him and Ranboo loose in a world with no monsters, no threats: just trees. They would play hide n seek for hours, just like this. Things were simpler when Tubbo was a kid, he supposes. Maybe he still his a kid.

But his memories of a younger time are all blotted out and shackled with the darkened blue of  _ loss _ , and even though Tubbo knows things will only get harder from here, he knows he wouldn't trade it for the world.

\---

Tommy hears them before he sees them. They're loud - well Tommy knows he's loud too,  _ Dream always said he was loud _ , so maybe he'd fit right in. Maybe.

Or maybe they wouldn't want him at all once they knew about who he really was. Dream had said- well. Dream had said that Tommy was nothing but a nuisance and that he didn't deserve anything. But Tommy could be  _ good _ , right? If he was good, maybe they'd want him.

Tubbo had certainly seemed to want him, even though their time together had been short. He'd remembered the way Tubbo's hands shook when he spoke, how Tommy's stomach had settled in the feeling that something was maybe -  _ finally  _ \- right.

His throat hurt. The mark had flashed, pulsing with magic a few times, but it didn't glow, not like the way the pink ones had. Maybe that meant Tommy wasn't good enough. He didn't actually know.

He was also hungry. The sun had long since set, golden streaks lighting up the sky before it had all gone dark. Tommy hadn't eaten anything since the few bites of soup he'd had before he'd run. He buried his face in his hands, pressing the back of his heels against his favourite tree stump.

He just wanted to go back. Back to when Dream would open his arms without question and let Tommy dive into them. Even if Dream… punished him, it was only because Tommy deserved it. Did he… did he  _ miss  _ Dream?

Tommy wasn't sure, but he didn't think the loud stomping through the woods was going to help him clear his head anytime soon. He looked up as the others came into view - Tubbo and Technoblade, along with the blonde lady Tommy had seen once through a window, and-

Tommy blinked. A Dream but not-Dream. This man looked different, was build different, carried himself different. He was  _ laughing _ , and loudly, too. His mask was a few inches up off his face, high enough that Tommy could see his grin.

Tubbo had mentioned something about being from another world. Maybe… maybe this was that place's Dream.

Tommy almost shrieked when Tubbo noticed him, the smaller brunette sprinting over and launching himself at him. Tommy thrust his arms out in time to catch the flying idiot, but the momentum knocked them both off the stool. He winced as his head collided with the ground, Tubbo's happy laugh echoing in his ears and something  _ wet _ -

Oh. Tubbo was crying again. He sure did that a lot, huh.

"You're so clingy." Tommy wrinkled his nose as Tubbo sat up and lightly headbutted his chest, little horns digging into Tommy's collarbones for just a minute before Tubbo pulled away.

"Yeah, but only because you managed to get yourself kidnapped for ten years. Let me be clingy, dammit." Tubbo was laughing while he cried and Tommy shook his head, sitting up and letting the brunette spill onto his lap. He was sort of surprised- Dream  _ hated _ it when Tommy cried.

He glanced up, eyes fixing on the pink figure steadily drawing nearer. The man's eyes were wide, drinking in Tommy's rumpled clothes and his messy hair- Tommy  _ did not _ have a brush and if this guy was going to put up a fuss, then-

"I am Technoblade. The god of war and bloodshed," his voice was deep, commanding. Tommy almost felt afraid until the marks on his palms pulsed. Comforting. "I am your brother." Technoblade dropped to one knee as Tubbo rolled off his lap. He was absolutely  _ massive _ . Tommy had seen big guys before, but nothing like this. Technoblade was at least two stacked Tommies and three - maybe four? - Tommies wide and if  _ that  _ wasn't startling enough, the man's hands were stretching out for his face.

The man paused as Tommy flinched back. It was instinctive, and for a minute, Tommy was worried he'd hurt his feelings. But the hands stayed in place, an unspoken question. When Tommy stayed where he was, the hands continued their reach out. Tommy looked up into blood red eyes as calloused palms cupped his face. Ever so  _ gently _ , Technoblade leaned forward and bumped his forehead against Tommy's.

Tubbo had said this was supposed to be his brother.

"Hi." Tommy said. His voice was a little weaker than he would have liked for his first… official meeting with his brother, but judging by the way Technoblade's entire body  _ shuddered _ with the release of a few tears down the sides of his face, Tommy thought he was doing alright.

"Hello, gremlin." Technoblade whispered back and Tommy fought to contain the grin spreading across his face.  _ Gremlin _ . It was said with such fondness, Tommy couldn't help the warmth spreading through his chest.

"'M not a gremlin." Tommy tried to argue, lazily, watching as one of Technoblade's ears flicked, jewellery jangling as it moved.

"Sure you aren't. Sure you aren't." Technoblade's voice was watery and Tommy almost barked out a laugh, throwing himself forward and into the arms of his new brother. They tightened around him almost instantly, the side of one of Technoblade's tusks resting gently on the side of Tommy's head.

It felt like coming home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAVE A GOOD DAY :D


	9. Soup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Technosoft

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's technically Tuesday but I haven't slept yet so still Monday in my books

Dream glanced behind him as they walked. He knew where they were going, after all, even when none of the others did. He and Niki were at the front. The blonde lady was still playing with her fingers, relief apparent in the way her shoulders had relaxed since they’d found Theseus on the stool.

Dream’s hands twitched. He had already taken a few photos and sent them to George, obviously. He was well aware that they were found out, no sense in hiding it now. Technoblade was carrying Theseus in his arms. The god of war had taken his cloak off and wrapped Theseus in it like a little… hmm what did mortals call it- a burrito? Yes, a little burrito. A Theseus burrito.

Lanky limbs spilled over Technoblade’s arms as Theseus’ head had lolled on the god’s shoulder. Dream caught the slightest bright blue before Theseus closed his eyes again. He wanted to chuckle, but he knew if he did, the godling would start to squirm out of embarrassment. Technoblade was staring stormily ahead, caging Theseus into his body. Dream assumed that Technoblade wasn’t going to let his brother go anytime soon - perhaps he could make his grand escape from George’s wrath if he sacrificed Technoblade.

Dream had already handed over the cookies. Theseus had paused, grateful, but still scared. Maybe he hadn’t always been  _ allowed _ to eat, and clearly Technoblade had had the same thought by the way he snarled at Theseus’ hesitance. They were headed back to Niki’s bakery to get the godlings something proper to eat. Tubbo had tried to pull out things from his bag, little boxes of smashed crackers and cans of beans, but Dream had just laughed and pulled the godling along. L’Manberg was coming into sight regardless. They’d be there soon.

While he and Technoblade didn’t need to eat, they knew that the godlings did. Technoblade didn’t seem to be struggling with Theseus’ weight, and while that in and of itself wasn’t particularly concerning, clearly Technoblade assumed he’d be a little bit heavier. Dream eyed the too-thin wrists and huffed. He wished he’d brought that book on mortals - the godlings were mortals until they came into their powers, after all, what was an appropriate amount of food for a mortal Theseus’ age and height, and was he in that range? Dream tutted, glancing at Tubbo. They’d squished the free godling behind Dream and in front of Technoblade, just in case. Tubbo’s wrists were about the same thinness, but Dream’s eyebrows furrowed at where Tubbo’s shirt pulled his arms.

He gently compared how thick Tubbo’s upper arms were to Theseus’ and Dream sighed. Theseus looked much smaller, but how bad was it? Could they just-

“He’s really skinny,” Niki interrupted Dream’s internal dialogue, the god turning to her in surprise. She shrugged, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the godlings. “You aren’t human. I didn’t expect you to know if-if Theseus is at a healthy weight. The answer is no. He won’t die any time soon, but you’ll need to keep an eye on his weight and slowly increase the amount of calories he consumes. Your impulse will be to give him as much as possible, I understand that, but he’ll throw it up if you go too fast.” Niki fixed Dream with a hard look and Dream tried not to wilt under her stare. He was a god, for fuck’s sake. He should not be  _ cowering _ -

“I understand,” Dream hummed, looking away from the boys and back to the human beside him. “We have books on mortals, but I haven’t looked through them much. Just skimmed. Are they dying, are they not dying. That sort of thing.”

“I see,” Niki paused, glancing up as the gates of L’Manberg came into view. She shouted up to the guards, who waved and peered curiously down at the people following her. Dream tried not to grin as the humans’ eyes followed them. He certainly wasn’t downplaying his godly aura and neither was Technoblade. “What exactly did you have in mind for that favour of your’s?” Niki asked. Dream stilled, watching as she fumbled in her pockets for the keys to her bakery. With a soft little  _ chime _ , the bell jangled as the door open. She kicked a small piece of wood underneath it, heading to the back where she’d kept some emergency pastries.

“Well,” Dream studied the loaf of bread that Niki grabbed, slicing a few pieces and grabbing a small tray full of different spreads. “I’m sure you’re aware by now how  _ angry _ the others are that Theseus was brought here. This world will be destroyed.”

Niki whirled around. “Destroyed?” her eyes searched Dream’s. He couldn’t help the sick grin. “But no one here was responsible, it was just-”

“Who cares? You’re a bunch of mortals,” Dream picked up a packet of jam. Blueberry? Hm. He pressed down until the packet exploded, using his powers to ensure none of the jam touched his fingers. “You flicker like little candles and then you go out. We are  _ gods _ , human. We care very little for your problems and we have destroyed worlds for less. Taking Theseus must go punished to the extreme.” Dream flicked the empty packet away, the little piece of plastic landing perfectly in a trash bin in the corner. “I was thinking that for your assistance today that we could spare you. Bring you to our world, give you the necessary tools to continue your shop in a new home.” Dream waved his hand at the bakery. “I would see to it that you would get a place to stay and the bakery of your dreams.”

“And if I asked you to not destroy my- this world?”

“You could ask  _ me _ ,” Dream levelled a hard look at her, watching as the woman swallowed  _ hard _ . “It is the others you should be concerned about.”

“...I see.” Niki tightened her hands around the tray, nodding once. Dream watched her head back into the front, where Technoblade had settled Theseus on his lap on a chair. While the godling was bright red, Dream imagined both overwhelmed from being touch-starved and embarrassed, Technoblade looked more content than he had in nearly a decade. Dream wasn’t going to miss the furrow of sorrow in his old rival’s face. Niki deposited the tray at the table, speaking softly to Technoblade. The god nodded, and Dream could hear his gruff voice telling Theseus to take the food slow.

Technoblade didn’t look entirely happy about having to uncurl around Theseus for the godling to get his hands up enough to spread some of the jam on his bread, but at least he was eating. Tubbo grabbed some bread himself, and Dream smiled as the echoes of Tubbo’s voice began debating the pros and cons of strawberry versus blueberry jam to Theseus. Niki excused herself from the table, eyes narrowed.

“Kid’s dehydrated,” she explained, waving her hand. “I’m going to get some pitchers of water and some tea brewed for them.”

“Technoblade likes black tea with about six cubes of sugar.” Dream hummed, following her. He supposed he could assist - wasn’t like he was doing much else. Niki hummed in acknowledgement, placing the kettle on her stove and waiting for the water to warm.

“I’ll give the kids something sweet, too. They look like they could use some blood sugar,” Niki peeked out into the main area, staring down at Theseus. He was finally eating, bringing bread to his mouth and chewing as Technoblade huffed and puffed from behind him, anxiously peering at Theseus to make sure he was  _ really there _ . Dream got the feeling. “I’m going to accept your offer.” Niki’s words shocked Dream out of his musings, head tilting towards her. He’d expected nothing less, after all. Mortals never wanted to die, after all. Always extending their time. “This place hasn’t been the same. Everyone is… crueler, and we were all using that kid to make ourselves stronger. I’m-” Niki’s hands tightened on the porcelain mug she held in her hands. Her knuckles went white. “I’m going to make it up to him.”

Dream nodded. “We all have a lot to make up for. If I had looked even just a bit harder, gone past my own grief, I might’ve seen Theseus’ disappearance into this world  _ sooner _ . George missed it, too, I suppose, he also checks the logs-” Dream shook his head as Niki’s eyebrows turned up in  _ pity _ . “Regardless. I understand your feelings and I am glad you have decided to come back with us. As I said before, I’ll get you set up with another bakery and a house, and such. It’ll be handled.”

“...Thanks.” Niki poured the steaming water into the mugs, gently placing the sugar cubes in the teas. Dream watched as she put a bag of crushed up flowers in two of the mugs, the black tea in the final. “This stuff is decaf, don’t worry. I think they’d combust if they have any caffeine right now. Not to mention that scary bloke-” Niki motioned to the pitcher of water and Dream grabbed it and a stack of plastic cups. “I think he’d have an aneurysm if Theseus moved.”

Dream grinned, silently agreeing. He’d never seen Technoblade so  _ protective _ , but he understood more than anything. He hadn’t been close with Theseus before he’d disappeared - just. In awe of the sheer odds of not one, but two godlings existing at the same time in their reality. Dream had thought them uniquely blessed until Theseus went missing. And while the instinctive part of Dream wanted to throw himself around the kid, he knew that Technoblade was  _ family _ . The itch Dream had could be satisfied by ruffling Theseus’ hair, but Technoblade likely wouldn’t be able to leave for hours.

His communicator pinged and he brought it up, raising an eyebrow at Philza’s recent messages. They were just strings of letters. Sometimes they looked like words, but Dream couldn’t discern any particular message. His communicator pinged again and Dream chuckled at George. Technically, Dream manifested physical realities - the different worlds. George manifested internal realities, the dreams and worlds people created in their own minds. He knew that George was often called upon to send the gods into fantasy worlds where Theseus was still alive, stuck in their own minds. Although, these days, George mostly just did damage control from Dream’s antics.

_ You made Philza cry with those pictures, you know,  _ Dream grinned at the message, knowing far too well that it would annoy him more if Dream just didn’t respond.

_ We expect to be let in. Everyone is suited up. _

Dream almost thought of responding. Instead, he placed the jug down and waved his hand, unlocking portals all across the gods’ castle. His power _shuddered_ under the pressure of all the gods walking through at once. He made eye contact with Technoblade and nodded, getting one in return. Technoblade tightened his arms around Theseus and stood, bringing a cup of water with him. Tubbo stood, following the god as Niki glanced outside, gasping when lightning _flung_ itself from the sky, cracking into the ground.

Fissures ripped, people screamed, and fires burst to life onto the ground. Dream could make out Philza’s figure in the sky, wings spread wide and sword casting beautiful judgement against these fools.

“It is time for us to be heading out, Niki.” Dream held out his hand, watched as the mortal trembled when she took it. They moved to the side in time for a chunk of earth to fly through the side of the bakery, smashing through the glass and breaking into wood. Theseus let out a startled shriek, flinching into Technoblade’s chest. The god hushed him, gently rubbing the side of his face against Theseus’ head. Dream could hear murmurs of how  _ it’s alright Bubba, it is our family, they have come- _ but he couldn’t help the bloodlust.

Dream flicked his fingers, creating another portal.

“Head through there,” he said, turning to them. The spaces under his mask glowed a sicking acid as Technoblade stepped through the portal, Tubbo’s little fist clenched in his cape. Niki nodded, once, following them. Dream closed the damn thing, turning back to the destruction outside.

_ Nothing  _ would be left when they were done.

\---

Tommy was confused. His stomach was rolling as they stepped through that weird glowing thing-

He blinked, staring out at intricate marble. Tommy’s breath left his chest as he craned his head around, eyes tracing over the columns supporting the room. It just looked… like a big room? Empty, except for the pillars.

“Finally, we’re home!” Tubbo grinned, skipping off to the side before whirling around. “Technoblade, I’m going to head to my castle.”

“You’re leaving?” Tommy hated how small his voice sounded.  _ Tubbo _ was the clingy one.

“Not for long!” Tubbo tapped his fingers against his head. “I’ll reach out with our Bond in a few hours, after I’ve gotten lectured for running off, okay? Niki, you can come with me! Dream’s probably gonna get yelled at too so it’s probably safer if you come hide out with me. When Philza gets mad, sometimes he drops the oxygen real low, it gets hard to breathe-” Tubbo started chattering away, grabbing Niki’s hand and shooting Tommy a reassuring glance before taking off with Niki in tow.

Tommy wanted to protest, wanted to fight. He’d snuck a glance out the glass before they’d left, and the sheer destruction following in his wake just seemed so needless. These… gods, he guessed, were acting like…

Tommy just didn’t think he was  _ worth  _ it. And by god - gods? - did he want to fight, but something in him had just  _ snapped _ at Technoblade’s hug earlier. He fisted his hands into the red cape that had been thrown over him earlier, leaning back into his… his brother’s chest. It rumbled whenever his brother spoke, sending waves of comfort over Tommy. He wasn’t quite sure why Technoblade seemed convinced that he couldn’t walk, but-

“Come on, Theseus,” Technoblade’s chest rumbled from behind him, sending vibrations down Tommy’s spine. “I’ll make some soup. Are you hungry?”

Tommy buried his face in his brother’s arms and nodded. The chest behind him rumbled again as Technoblade chuckled, turning and moving off. Tommy peered out from the fancy satin-ish fabric to look around. This had to be the fanciest place he’d ever seen, but then again, he hadn’t ever left the cabin before.

“Why do you keep calling me Theseus?” Tommy asked, shifting as Technoblade’s arms tightened around him.

“That’s your name. I named you.”

“Oh,” Tommy snuggled into the cape, blowing a puff of air at the fluff. “I’ve always been called Tommy.”

“...I’m still going to call you Theseus.” the voice was monotone, but somehow, Tommy knew that if he’d insisted about it, Technoblade would cave.

“Okay.” Tommy let the agreement slip from his mouth before he could think about it, blinking sleepily at Technoblade. The god hugged him tighter before opening a swinging door into a kitchen. Tommy was deposited onto one of the chairs, Technoblade momentarily fussing over the cape being tucked in, before heading over to the stove. Tommy watched, curling into the cape, missing the warmth, as Technoblade started peeling potatoes.

“...Tubbo said I had- have a dad. And-and brothers. As in multiple. Uhm, I think he said their names were-”

“Philza and Wilbur,” Technoblade eyed him from the counter, plopping the potatoes in and pouring some kind of thick liquid into the same pot. He flicked a switch and Tommy jolted as a flame burst to life in the stove. “Yes. Philza is our father and Wilbur is your other brother. You called for Wilbur’s Blessing earlier? You blew out my eardrums.”

Tommy blinked, fear washing the new memories of Technoblade’s hug away. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“I am proud,” Technoblade clarified. “I just wish I could have been there to see Wilbur’s face. I bet he cried.”

“Oh,” Tommy’s gaze fell to the table, tracing the grain in the wood. “Does it-” he hesitated. “Does it hurt, asking for a Blessing?”

“No,” Technoblade’s lips pulled into a little smile, eyes softening. “You calling for his Blessing was confirmation that you were alive. He would have been happy.”

Tommy didn’t respond, pulling at his fingers until one of his knuckles cracked. He jumped at the sound, smacking his knee against the table. He snapped his head up at a slight click, blinking as a bowl of soup was placed in front of him. A spoon was already in it, Technoblade pulling up a chair right beside him and staring intently between Tommy and the soup.

“I put some potion in it,” Technoblade said, softly. “So it will help your injuries. But I would still like to look them over myself. Do you need me to feed you?”

Tommy’s face flushed a rich  _ crimson _ , spluttering as he struggled to get his arms out of the cape. Technoblade hummed, seeming to ignore him, and Tommy could feel his face  _ burning _ as his brother lifted the spoon, cupping some soup and bringing it closer to Tommy’s face. Tommy opened his mouth to insist he was  _ old enough he could feed himself thank you very fucking much- _ but Technoblade just took the opportunity to stuff the spoon in his mouth.

The door to the kitchen slammed open and Tommy’s eyes flickered upwards, his lips closing around the spoon as Technoblade turned around with  _ murder _ in his eyes.

“Go ‘way, Wilbur. _ I’m _ helping Theseus.” Technoblade grumped.

The brunette clad in gold in the doorway immediately burst into tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have class in uhhh
> 
> Math is hard  
> Uh
> 
> 6 hours so I'mma pass out and try to not skip this time


	10. Lightning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream is one slippery bitch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo it's 3am how are y'all?

Tommy barely had time to breathe before the gold-brown person was slamming into him at top speed. Technoblade cursed as the spoon fell out of Tommy's mouth, soup rocking dangerously on the counter.

"Theseus Theseus Theseus The-" it was a low, murmured chant of Tommy's real name - he guessed, he still thought of himself as  _ Tommy _ but he supposed Theseus wasn't bad either - and somehow the voice was incredibly soothing, despite the hot tears dripping down onto Tommy's shoulder.

The other person - Wilbur? - pulled away, cupping Tommy's cheek and anxiously eyeing the bruise on his face. Anxiety shifted to the  _ darkest _ anger Tommy had ever seen, shying back as Wilbur placed a hand on his shoulder, the hold tightening.

" _ Who did th-" _

"Wilbur, it has been taken care of. I know you're upset, but Theseus hasn't eaten all day," Technoblade gestured between Wilbur and the bowl of soup, an eyebrow raised. "I put some potion in it. He needs to heal up."

"Okay." Wilbur stepped back, the anger melting away into relief. "Oh Theseus-" Wilbur brought his arm up to scrub away tears, snatching the bowl and spoon from Technoblade and quickly stuffing another spoonful into Tommy's mouth. Technoblade protested under his breath, muttering something about how it was  _ his _ turn, but Wilbur ignored him, waiting for Tommy to swallow the soup before giving him another spoonful. "I'm not sure if you remember us, Theseus, well it makes sense you wouldn't, you were so young- I am your big brother, Wilbur. You called for my Blessing earlier, that's how I knew you were alive."

"Did you cry?" Technoblade drawled, leaning his chin on his hands and looking far too amused. Tommy was still trying to get his hands out of the cape-wrap, but his struggles seemed fruitless. The gods seemed content to just feed him themselves, like he was  _ useless _ . Wilbur's hands brushed his throat, and Tommy sucked in some air as the mark briefly burned, before settling into the same glowy garbage that Technoblade's had. Miserably, Tommy thought that there was no way he'd be able to hide it now.

"I bet you cried too." Wilbur shot Technoblade a dark glare, but Tommy could see the outline of a smile tugging his lips up. Wilbur dipped the spoon into the bowl again, Tommy squinting his eyes as a patch of sunlight came in through a window and bounced off Wilbur's headpiece and  _ right _ into his eyes. He couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed. Just  _ hours _ ago, he'd set off on a mission to find Tubbo- not to find an entire new family. His whole life, it'd just been him and Dream, but now there were other people too. Tommy wasn't sure what to think.

Technoblade seemed gruff but insanely protective, and Tommy had the feeling that if he ever wanted to sneak out or get into mischief, he'd have to avoid Technoblade first and foremost. Wilbur, he'd seen cry  _ twice _ now, and Dream had always said that crying was the mark of someone who was weak. But Technoblade didn't seem to think that Wilbur was weak. But was Dream wrong? Tommy didn't know, couldn't tell anymore. His head was spinning, too confused. Before another spoon could push into his mouth, Tommy  _ finally  _ popped one of his arms out of the bloody cape. He lightly smacked Wilbur's hand, watching as the god turned to him in surprise and snatched the spoon before he could get fed like a baby anymore.

_ You're not a child _ , Dream had said, stepping on tiny Tommy's fingers.  _ Don't act like one. _

Tommy shook the voice away. It was louder than he wanted it to be.

"...he did cry." Tommy jabbed the spoon in Technoblade's direction before shoving it in his  _ own _ mouth,  _ thank you very much _ . It tasted good. Earthy, warm, a little bit spicy? It trickled down into Tommy's stomach and warmed him from the inside out. He could feel the ache in his cheekbone already clearing. The godly brothers started bickering, tossing insults over Tommy's head while Tommy kept eating his soup.

Now that the ouchiest bruise had been taken care of, Tommy looked down to see just how fucked up he'd gotten. Between the mob fight and the arrow in his shoulder that Technoblade had already bandaged, and when Dream had- hurt him, Tommy's body was covered in scrapes and bruises. He blinked down at his hand, watching the edges of a scrape shimmer like it was sprinkled with gold dust, new skin pulling itself over the wound. It didn't even leave a scar behind. Tommy made a fist, testing how the skin fared when it was pulled taut. Seemed fine to him, anyway. Didn't hurt anymore.

Tommy suckled on the spoon, glancing down at the gold speckles in his soup. Maybe this was the potion that Technoblade had mentioned. Whatever it was, he was grateful. He sighed lowly as the wound in his shoulder slowly stopped hurting. It itched a bit, but he supposed that that was the price for healing.

"You have no idea how  _ grateful _ I am that you're here, Theseus," Wilbur's brown eyes searched Tommy's face again, running his thumb over where the bruise used to be. His eyebrows were furrowed, concern shining in his eyes. Tommy sort of wanted to hide from it. "What  _ happened _ to you? Where did you go?" Tommy balked at the questions, busying himself with the soup again. Silence fell as the gods stared at him, and he tried not to wilt under their attention.

"...another world's Dream took him. Intentionally, he figured that Theseus' blood would bolster enchantments and potions. Used it for control," Technoblade's eyes darkened and Tommy flicked his gaze down, trying to avoid the look. Dream had always hit him when he looked that angry- "Fucker called him a  _ brat _ ."

"You killed him." it wasn't a question, but Technoblade nodded at Wilbur anyway.

"Came back," the pink haired god waved his hand. "Managed to get the drop on me and grab Theseus. He called for your Blessing. It blew both my eardrums out, and I was a ways away  _ and  _ behind a wall when the blast went off. Can't imagine how the green man fared." Technoblade shrugged, grinning and showing off his sharp teeth, the tusks gleaming. Wilbur shared the bloodlust, gently curling his hand to scratch at Tommy's scalp instead. He resisted the urge to sigh and lean into the contact, trying not to give away how much he liked it. But judging by the looks on his brothers' faces, Tommy was pretty sure they knew anyway.

"You're amazing," Wilbur pressed a quick kiss to Tommy's forehead, scooching closer to wrap his arm around Tommy's shoulder. "Absolutely amazing. I will always be here for you, Theseus. Anything you ask for, just call my Blessing."

"Will-" Tommy's voice cracked, rough and achy in his throat from all the screaming he had done earlier. He cleared it, swallowing another mouthful of soup. The warmth soothed the ache away. "Will it always… blast out like that?"

"No, no," Wilbur started running his fingers through Tommy's hair, untangling the knots and picking out the few stray leaves. "My Blessing  _ can _ come out as that blast, but it can also come out as a charm, so to speak. Forces people to listen to you. Familiar with sirens?" Tommy nodded, closing his eyes and leaning into the contact. He heard a huff of air, almost a chuckle, before Technoblade was up and tugging at his earlobes. "Sort of like that." Wilbur hummed.

"We'll have to get your ears pierced," Technoblade's voice was gruff from beside him and Tommy could feel the callouses on his fingers brush against his ears. "I've been saving jewellery for you."

"You don't need to waste your stuff on me." Tommy said, quietly. He fiddled with the spoon in the empty bowl, wincing as the fingers in his hair paused before continuing.

"Waste?" Technoblade echoed. He looked angry. Tommy hadn't even been here for an  _ hour  _ and he'd already made him angry. Technoblade opened his mouth again, Wilbur hushing him quickly and tilting Tommy's face to force Tommy to look at him.

"I'm not sure what this…  _ other _ Dream did to you, Theseus, but believe me that absolutely  _ nothing  _ we would ever give you would be wasted. You are our most prized creature. If I had my way, you'd be covered in golds and jewels and you'd be locked in this castle. Never allowed to leave," the blissful expression on Wilbur's face had cold fear spiking into Tommy's veins. He stared, wide eyed, as the god's grip on his chin tightened. "You are precious to us, you understand?" Wilbur seemed to notice how scared Tommy was getting, quickly backtracking. "Of course, we would never lock you in, not unless we absolutely had to. Like if you were in danger or something. My point here, Theseus, is that we love you and there is nothing we wouldn't give you. Alright? Technoblade's just a possessive bastard, he wants as many of his jewellery hoard on your ears as possible-"

"Oh, shut up." Technoblade flicked the side of Wilbur's head, the god letting go of Tommy's chin and immediately getting into another faux-argument with Technoblade. Tommy played with the spoon in the bowl again, glancing between his two new brothers.

He jumped when Technoblade's hand came down  _ hard _ on the table, the arguing stopping at Tommy's flinch. Wilbur immediately began cooing promises of protection at him, Technoblade inching closer and closer. Tommy wasn't sure how to feel about this- he'd just met them and they wouldn't even let him feed himself until he'd done something about it.

Tommy sighed.

It was going to be a long day.

\---

Phil stared down at the ruins of the lands behind him. He had enjoyed finding the citizens of this place, spearing his sword through their chests, watching the life bleed from their eyes.

They had tried to take from a god.

"Did you find him?" Phil's voice was tight, clipped. He'd punish Dream later, but for now, the god's help was instrumental in burning this place to the ground. Phil flicked his fingers, raging winds blowing hard enough to slam someone with wings into the ground, a strike of lightning following and arching through the victim. Phil preferred to kill them from up close, made his rage more  _ personal _ .

"No," Dream sounded distant, sounded monotone, but Phil could feel the anger radiating off the other god. "He was killed once by Technoblade. My contact said everyone has three lives, but seeing as he's the admin, he might have more. He was hit by the shriek bit of Wilbur's Blessing on Theseus, but he wasn't in the blast zone and there was no death message. I can't find him anywhere." Dream sounded frustrated and Phil could only share it.

"Keep looking. When you find him, you're to summon me immediately," Phil turned to stare at Dream, lightning racing down the strands of his hair as the storm howled over the ruins of this world. "I want his death to be  _ slow _ ."

Dream nodded.

Phil turned back to the world, disgust in the sneer on his face as the other gods set fires, caused explosions, Schlatt and Quackity working together to banish the souls to the deepest pits of despair.

"Delete this place," Phil snarled. "I want to go home."

Dream hummed, summoning his portals. The familiar flush of magic washed over Phil as he stepped through, watching as other gods did the same. Ranboo furrowed his eyebrows, before letting out a shriek and disappearing in a poof of purple sparkles. Schlatt and Quackity exchanged a glance before they were racing off towards their own castle. Phil watched them go, trying to swallow his guilt. Tubbo was back, then. And reconnected with his Blessings.

"I'm going to go check on Tubbo. I think he brought my contact with him." Dream stepped back, pointing a thumb towards the exit.

"Are you really trying to actually partake in your duties, for once, or are you just running from George?" Phil kept his voice low, monotone. Almost laughed when Dream swallowed nervously. He was about to step forward and grab that  _ conniving little shit _ by the collar and drag him down into the dungeons until Dream remembered why no one disobeyed Phil-

"Theseus is in the kitchen!" Dream all but shrieked. His rage forgotten, Phil rushed out, shouldering the doors open in front of him.

Theseus.

Lightning lit his blood.

Theseus.

He could feel the winds whip at his face, a storm brewing outside.

Theseus.

Phil opened the kitchen door, ignoring the way Technoblade sat up straighter at the blood and ash covering Phil. There was a blonde kid sitting at the table, wrapped in Technoblade's cape, with Wilbur's hands in his hair.

Theseus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phil's pic'll be up soon, his wings are just making me want to yeet myself


	11. Kicked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dadza does his thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW LOOK AT ME UPDATING AT A REASONABLE HOUR
> 
> I even took my antidepressants at the right time today, look at me go

Phil rushed forward at the scene, hands out and ready to crush Theseus in the strongest hug he could muster. Before he got there, Theseus winced, head tilting away, and Phil paused. He could feel the excitement brewing in his blood -  _ Dream had tricked him, there’d be a reckoning for that later  _ \- but he had to focus on his  _ son _ first. Nothing short of Hell itself would stop Phil here. Phil dropped his hands, watching Theseus’ reaction carefully. He gestured at his two older boys, the gods scooting off to the side. At the lack of contact, Theseus seemed to deflate, relaxing, but still not making eye contact.

“Can I touch you?” Phil asked, fingers twitching by his sides. He wanted to reach out, feel for himself that Theseus was alive and not just an echo his mind had created, but- Theseus shook his head, hands shaking. Phil nodded to himself once, instead pulling up a chair and staring at his son. “Are you overwhelmed?” a nod. Phil could work with this. “Boys, go find something else to do.”

Phil’s other children opened their mouths to protest, but Phil waved them away with a hard look. “Wilbur, we both know you’ve been all over Theseus  _ without _ asking, and Technoblade, you’re overbearing on the best of days,” Phil dropped his voice, furrowing his eyebrows, and peering at the younger gods with what they had dubbed the Look TM . “Now scram. Find something to do. Check on Tubbo, drag Dream’s slimy ass into the throne room for me to deal with later. I don’t care.” Wilbur looked like he was ready to argue, but Techno grabbed his twin’s shoulder and started dragging him out of the room by the ear. “Techno.” Phil put on his best disapproving voice, glaring at his son like he hadn’t  _ let _ Techno take Tubbo into the other world. “We will be having a conversation about your conduct later.” Wilbur oooooooo’d at Phil’s promise but quieted down when Phil’s ire was turned towards him instead.

“I’m not sorry.” Techno asserted, staring back. There was a hard, determined look in his eyes, and Phil sighed.

“I know, mate. Just,” Phil waved his hand, resisting the urge to send a gale to kick them both out of the kitchen already. “Find something to do. Maybe don’t get in Schlatt’s way, or he’s going to stick you down in the pit again.” Techno grumbled something about being a better god than Schlatt, but Phil really didn’t care to listen anymore. The door creaked as it was gently shut. Phil flicked his fingers, a light breeze shutting the door the rest of the way.

“Do you need some help out of there, mate? Looks like Techno wrapped you up tight,” Phil tried to smile as he spoke, gesturing towards how  _ stuck _ Theseus looked. It made sense then, why his son looked so cornered. The kid hesitated, and Phil raised his hands, palms up. “I won’t touch you. Just the cape.” Hesitantly, Theseus nodded, and Phil took it for the progress that it  _ was _ .

Phil stood, going quickly and finding where the cape had been tucked into itself, successfully trapping Theseus in. He undid the tie, gently unwrapping it from Theseus’ body. Phil’s son had his same hair, his same eyes - but  _ gods _ was the kid tall. Phil was still bigger, but Theseus was only thirteen. Still growing. He’d shoot up like a weed in the next few years, follow the height path forged by his brothers. It sort of made Phil want to cry, imagining Theseus all grown up. Phil had an idea of what his face would look like- after all, it was the exact one Phil’d been staring at through the mirror.

“There we go. More comfortable?” Theseus nodded at the question, eyes falling onto a stray bowl. “Did Techno make you something to eat?” Phil questioned, stepping over to the stove and peering into the simmering pot. Still hot, then. It smelled good, little flakes of a healing potion peppered into the broth. “Want some more?” Phil eyed Theseus’ frame. He looked far too skinny for his own good. Phil had done extensive research on mortals when Theseus had come to him, having nightly panics when Theseus woke up crying as a baby. His son stared down at the bowl, nodding. Phil hummed to himself - progress. This was progress.  _ Don’t overwhelm him. _ A voice warned in the back of his head,  _ He has been through enough today _ .

“I’ll be having some too,” Phil said, grabbing his own bowl. “Want me to fill your bowl up, or would you like to come get it yourself?” Phil paused at the table, waiting for Theseus to answer. The kid’s wrist rose - far too thin - and gently pushed the bowl towards Phil. Get some soup for him, then. Phil was more than happy to, grabbing the bowl and ladling Theseus more of the soup. He filled up his own bowl, taking the seat across the table from Theseus. He was sure his son would appreciate the space after being harassed by his brothers for who  _ knows _ how long.

“I’m sure you have questions,” Phil waited until Theseus started tucking into his soup, Phil copying his actions.  _ Let him come to you. _ “I can answer anything now, or we can wait to talk when you’re ready.”

“...y-you’re really my dad?” oh  _ gods _ , Theseus sounded like he was going to  _ cry _ , and Phil wasn’t sure he could handle Theseus crying in front of him.

“Yes, I am. And Wilbur and Techno are your brothers,” Phil stirred his soup around with his spoon, letting his eyes rest on the table. He could feel Theseus’ eyes on him, but he didn’t want to scare him off too soon. “Sorry about them, by the way. They’re young. They make bad decisions and neither of them had really been around mortals before… before you.”

“Oh.” Theseus’ gaze left Phil.

“I think,” Phil hesitated. “It would be a good idea if we wrote down a list of boundaries, okay? Things you’re okay and not okay with. Examples could be, touching without asking first, coming into your room if the door is shut-”

“Threatening to pierce my ears so they could drape jewels all over me?” Theseus asked, dryly, and Phil’s heart dropped into his stomach. His spoon splashed into the bowl, the hand that used to be holding it planting firmly on his forehead with a thick  _ smack _ .

“They  _ didn’t _ ,” Phil groaned, rubbing his temples. So apparently Dream was going to get some company in the dungeons tonight. “Theseus, I am so  _ sorry _ . They’re going to get punished, I promise, that’s just- I’m not going to ask you to forgive them just yet, but try to give them another chance? They love you. They’re just little bastards.” Phil looked through his hand, already feeling the slap redden on his forehead. Theseus giggled from across the table and a smile spread on Phil’s face in response.

“I like the idea of the list,” Theseus said, stirring his soup and taking another bite of it. Phil slowly peeled his hand off his face, already feeling the exhaustion weighing in. “How come you haven’t touched the mark thingy?” at Phil’s raised eyebrow, Theseus elaborated. He spoke with his hands, the same way Wilbur did. “The uhh- Blessing, I think?”

“Oh,” Phil nodded. “I suppose I  _ could _ , but I think I’m going to wait a bit for that. Right now is not an… optimal time for it to activate.”

“Why’s that?”

“You’ll probably grow wings,” Phil said, bluntly. His own wings twitched on his back, feathers ruffling, as Theseus’ gaze blew wide. “It’ll be a long process. Your body has to grow the actual wings, and then poke them through your back. It isn’t entirely pleasant, but we’ll be with you the entire time,” Phil raised his hands as Theseus blinked, waving them frantically. “Of course, I understand how big a change of that would be, you’d be growing two new appendages! I completely understand if you don’t want to engage the Blessing at all, in fact I could remove it if you really wanted me to-” Phil knew he was rambling, but his instincts had never guided him wrong before. And something in him  _ screamed _ that Theseus needed the freedom to make his own choices.

“I get to have wings?” Theseus’ voice was small, speckled with awe, the mini-Phil slowly grinning like a madman. “That’s  _ so _ pog.” Phil tilted his head, unfamiliar with the phrase, but judging how a childish light started shining from Theseus’ eyes, he assumed it was good. 

“We’ll wait until you’re more comfortable, mate. You’ll be pretty dependent when they’re growing in, it’ll hurt and you won’t be able to do much for anywhere from two to three weeks,” Phil explained. Theseus seemed relaxed now, handling eye contact with Phil without flinching. Good. It was  _ progress _ . “Of course, you don’t have to stay with us, no matter what the boys might say. You could always go to Tubbo’s. Schlatt was there when Tubbo’s horns grew in, so he’s familiar with how the Blessing might manifest. I can always send him the details.” Theseus nodded and Phil let out a breath of relief. “We’ll hash it out when you’re ready. No need to make any decisions right now.”

“Thanks.” Theseus’ voice was growing steadily stronger.

“Well,” Phil folded his hands. “I suppose I have a question for you now. I’m sure you weren’t called Theseus by that… other Dream, no?” Theseus shook his head and Phil nodded. He’d expected this. “Do you want me to call you Theseus or-or something else?”

“...I’ve always been called Tommy.” Phil hummed, nodding.

“But what is your preference? I like Tommy, I always told Techno that Theseus was too formal. But I suppose coming from someone who named  _ himself _ Technoblade, ‘too formal’ doesn’t mean much.” Theseus-Tommy cracked a grin at that, meeting Phil’s eyes again. Willingly, this time.  _ Progress. _

“It is a pretty dumb name,” Theseus-Tommy’s cheeks flushed as he grinned, ducking his head down to have another bite of soup. “Don’t tell him I said that, though.”

“My lips are sealed.” Phil promised, pretending to lock his lips shut. They sat in silence for a few more minutes, Theseus-Tommy quietly eating his soup.

“I think… for now, it’d be easier if you called me Tommy,” he was hesitant, fearful, but Phil kept his expression straight and stared at a spot below Tommy’s ear. His son’s shoulders relaxed at Phil’s nonchalance. “Technoblade’s going to keep calling me Theseus, I told him he could, I guess I’m just not used to it yet.”

“You could always think of Tommy as a nickname for Theseus.” Phil suggested, keeping his voice light. “Either way, I will respect your choice,” Phil smiled. “Tommy.” Tommy smiled back, pushing back his mostly empty bowl.

“I’m full.” Tommy said, stirring his spoon into his soup. Phil hummed and grabbed the bowl for him, taking the soup off the heat and rinsing his and Tommy’s bowls out.

“I’ll make Techno put that away later,” Phil murmured, glancing back at Tommy. The blond was staring at his wings, transfixed, and Phil gently stretched out a wing to him. “You can touch them. Just be careful to not push against the feathers.” Phil said, Tommy nodding once before fixing his expression into something determined. It was one he saw on Techno’s face quite often, and Phil almost chuckled at the sight of it. “Would you like a tour of the castle?” Tommy nodded, hands gently petting his feathers. “Can I give you a hug?” Tommy pushed his chair up, standing, and looking down at Phil’s boots to nod again.

Phil hummed, pleased, and stepped forward to wrap his arms around his son. He tucked Tommy’s head under his chin, wrapping his boy in his wings. Phil gently kissed the top of Tommy’s head before pulling away, keeping one wing wrapped around Tommy’s back.

“How about that tour, then?” Tommy nodded, gently grabbing at Phil’s hand. Phil’s heart squeezed at Tommy initiating the contact, keeping his wing gently pressing on Tommy’s back. “Welcome home, Toms.” Phil whispered, squeezing his hand and leading his son out into the kitchen.

It was a rough start, and there was a lot of trauma to be worked out. But Phil knew, trusted with everything he had, that’d they’d be okay.

\---

“-and then I told him that I wanted to lock him up so he’d be  _ safe _ -” Wilbur’s rant was cut off as Quackity slapped his forehead. Schlatt sighed,  _ heavily _ , over the tip of his book. They’d all settled down in Tubbo’s room. Dream had come and taken Niki off by the elbow, Wilbur almost laughing at the hunted look in his eyes. And then he remembered that he was  _ also _ in the doghouse with Phil, and it didn’t seem so funny anymore. Techno was gone, but then again, Schaltt might’ve strangled him, so Wilbur couldn’t really blame his twin.

“You do realize you’re treating him more like an object than a person, right?” Schaltt’s question had Wilbur sitting up from where he’d sprawled on the floor.

“But-” Wilbur raised a finger, only to duck as Schlatt launched his book at his face. “-rude.”

“No  _ buts _ . Now, sit your ass down and shut the fuck up, I’m going to teach you how to apologize.”

“ _ But- _ ”

“ **I SAID NO BUTS.** ”

Wilbur didn’t dodge the next book in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight promise Phil's gonna come tomorrow. Up next, Tommy n Tubbo


	12. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur learns how to say sorry!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YO
> 
> Sorry no update yesterday, your fav enby author damaged their radial nerve and was in much pain trying to type yesterday. Less pain today and hopefully over the weekend, I'll be all better!

Wilbur paced outside the closed door. He had knocked, said his name, asked to come in.

There had been no response.

It had been a few hours since he and Techno had been kicked out of the kitchen. According to Phil, Theuseus wanted to be called Tommy, he’d been shown around, and a list of boundaries had been stapled to Wilbur’s forehead, written in messy script, each letter half connected to the next. It wasn’t Phil’s handwriting, and even though Wilbur had been mad at how much blood had come out of the staple in his forehead when he’d tore it out, he was still glad he had a list of something Tommy had written so he could memorize his brother’s handwriting. Phil had said that he was going to be consistently checking in with Tommy to make sure that everyone was respecting his boundaries.

Boundaries.

Wilbur gave a critical eye to the list again. The first, naturally, was  _ ask for consent _ . He sighed, running a hand through his hair and nibbling on his lower lip. Under  _ ask for consent _ was a smaller list, this time printed in Phil’s writing:  _ before coming into his room, before modifying his body,  _ (that one was highlighted several times, the text much darker than the rest of the list. Wilbur almost laughed at Techno being in trouble-)  _ before threatening to lock him up,  _ (-aaaand Wilbur was in trouble too)  _ before doing anything that would require permission _ . That one was a bit less absolute, but Wilbur supposed he could just… work around it.

The rest of the list was much simpler.  _ Ask before touching,  _ (Techno didn’t like surprise affection either, Wilbur was used to that one)  _ give Tommy space  _ (Wilbur also needed his alone time)  _ no yelling _ (Wilbur wasn’t much of a yeller). There were a few more but Wilbur wasn’t entirely worried about them. One of them, which made Wilbur’s blood boil, requested that people ask clearly and quietly before touching anywhere on Tommy’s face. He recalled the bruise that had sat deep on Tommy’s cheek before the healing potion had kicked in and it made Wilbur want to kill something.

A soft noise shuffled behind the door and Wilbur paused as it slowly creaked open. Tommy’s face peeked out from behind it, staring at him. He looked tired.

“You’re still here?”

“I-” Schlatt’s yelling rung in Wilbur’s ears. He shook his head, remembering what specifically he had been yelled at for. “I wanted to apologize.”

Tommy waddled out further from behind the door, dragging a blanket with him. Wilbur almost cooed at the sight before restraining himself. Tommy had changed, taken a bath - the leaves had been combed out of his hair, although it was still damp. He smelled like Techno’s fancy soap.

_ Step One, _ Wilbur remembered Schlatt saying.  _ Say you’re sorry. _

“I’m sorry, Tommy,”  _ Step Two: what are you sorry for?  _ “I disrespected your boundaries and threatened to lock you up. I-”  _ It is important that you do not try to defend your actions or put the blame on his response. You messed up here, take responsibility for your own shit.  _ “It was unnecessary and it hurt you.”  _ Nobody cares what you meant to do, focus on what you did do.  _ “I take it back, I want you to be happy, and I’m sorry that I disrupted your happiness here. You don’t have to forgive me right now, I understand if you won’t. I just want you to know that I’ll be here for you, whenever and however you want me to be. I’m never going to lock you up anywhere and I’m really sorry if I scared you.”  _ Step Three: ask for him to forgive you. Give him the option to think about it instead. He very well might forgive you to keep the peace, so keep that in mind and give him space after you apologize to let him think about it more.  _ “I’ll leave you to your room, I’m sure you’re tired. I can- I can teach you about how the Blessings work tomorrow, if-if you’d like. Or I can make Techno do it! Either way, whatever you-”

Wilbur turned, ready to step down the hallway, before there was a tug at his cape. He blinked, following the fisted material to Tommy’s face. His brother was looking away, eyes hidden behind his hair. They stood in silence, Tommy holding Wilbur to the spot. Wilbur wanted to step away, wanted to ask Tommy what he needed- but even he could see how Tommy’s throat clenched and unclenched, trying to get words out on his own. Wilbur’s heart broke all over again.

“Stay?” Tommy’s voice was so damn  _ small _ . 

“Of course, of course,” Wilbur stepped forward, going to wrap his arms around Tommy before remembering the list. “Can I hug you?”

Tommy answered without speaking, stepping into Wilbur’s chest. His arms came around his little brother and Wilbur shuffled them into the room, gently wrapping his arms around Tommy’s legs and hoisting his brother up, Tommy’s face buried in the crook of his neck. Wilbur closed the door behind him with his foot, trodding over to the bed.

It was the same room it had always been. They had updated it as the years had passed, holding onto dulled hope that Tommy would like it when - if - he came back. Wilbur hummed a tune, a new song he’d been working on, wrapping his magic around the notes. Tommy slumped in his grip, Wilbur’s magic going from his ears to his mind, easing his worries.

Wilbur started singing, letting his voice carry Tommy to actually relax enough to sleep. He pressed a button beside the fireplace, letting the flames flicker and tossing a few new logs onto the pile. Tommy was shivering in his arms, despite the heavy blanket he’d wrapped himself in. Wilbur guessed that his old home was warmer than this one - they were pretty high up and Phil’s newly renewed hope had it snowing outside.

It always snowed when Phil was in a good mood.

The snow paused for a moment, and Wilbur glanced outside, just to see it come down heavier than before. Wilbur blinked, what exactly could-

His musings were cut off by Dream's shriek echoing across the castle. Wilbur laughed, his song interrupting as Tommy sleepily looked up from his shoulder.

"Wha' was 'hat?" Tommy rubbed at his eyes and Wilbur let out a little coo, walking them over to Tommy's bed.

"Dream's in trouble cause he let Techno and Tubbo go find you," Tommy tilted his head, hurt filling his eyes and Wilbur quickly moved to damage control. "Oh no no no no Bubba, everyone wanted you back more than  _ anything _ , they just wanted to be there to come rescue you and Dream wouldn't let them into the world." Tommy relaxed at Wilbur's words, settling back down as Wilbur began singing again.

Wilbur settled into the bed, laying down and gathering Tommy into his arms. He hugged his little brother, burying his nose in Tommy's hair. Techno was a fancy bastard who would only use rose and almond butter soap, which Tommy had clearly used while he was in the bath. Wilbur would take Tommy to the markets, see what sort of soap he liked best. Let him make his own choices.

Wilbur made sure Tommy was adequately warm and tucked in, he found himself dozing off along with his brother as his singing went from words, to a hum, to a low rumble in his chest. Gods didn't really need to sleep, but Wilbur liked to.

Sleep had let him believe that Tommy was alive long enough for Wilbur to help him.

"Sleep well, little brother," Wilbur pressed a kiss to the top of Tommy's head. He curled around his brother, keeping his own back to the door. If anything wanted to hurt Tommy, they'd have to go through Wilbur first. He ran his fingers through Tommy's hair, remembering how Techno said Tommy liked it. "I'll be here when you wake up."

\---

_ “Irresponsible-” _

Dream hunched over in his cell, dampening runes scattered around the bars. Even if he wanted to escape this lecture, he knew he couldn’t. 

“ _ Insolent-” _

Phil seemed to be fond of I words today.

“ _ Disobedient- _ ”

Technoblade was sitting in the opposing cell to Dream’s own, his arms crossed and a neutral expression on his face. At the very least, Techno believed that he was morally right, even if Phil was putting him through the grater right now. Dream knew very well he didn’t have any excuses for what he did, he  _ could _ have let Phil or the other gods in, or at the very least answered George.

George stood beside Phil, his arms crossed and an unamused look behind his goggles. Wilbur was also supposed to be here, getting lectured, but Phil had taken one look of him curled around Tommy and just  _ let him go _ . So if Dream had been sleeping with Tommy, he would have been off the hook? He was absolutely exasperated at how unfair it was.

“-you didn’t even answer George! Bare minimum, Dream, I am asking for the bare minimum here!”

Dream sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See y'all Monday!


	13. Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy's passive powers go brr

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOOD EVENING LOVELIES
> 
> For all those asking, I am all better. Got some good rest, did some mediocre homework, and I am up and attem to face the week. Hope y'all had a good weekend!

Before Tommy was found by the gods.

\---

Family.  _ Family. _ It was something a lot of people had talked to Tommy about recently.

He slid his leg out the window pane, estimating the drop below him. He remembered how Tubbo had come to visit once, sans the bracelet that had been on his wrist. Had explained it was a dampener, momentarily blocked his gods’ Blessings. Tommy had stared at the horns, the marks on Tubbo. They had flooded back with colour and magic, the nervous  _ whups _ of Ranboo’s teleporting following them everywhere they went. Tubbo had laughed, nervously scratched his head, said something about not being allowed out of their sight anymore.

Tommy jumped.

A spike of pain shot up his ankle, concern radiating from the back of his head as Tubbo noticed his hurt. They’d… reconnected their Bond. Whatever the hell it was called, Tommy didn’t really want to put a name on it. Naming it made it seem  _ permanent _ . Dream was supposed to be permanent.

Tommy sent back a sort image of tripping, of smacking his ankle hard against a table, and Tubbo’s concern ebbed away. He didn’t distrust Tommy, didn’t think he was lying.

Tubbo was in his head now, but even for all the insight that gave him, he was still way too gullible.

Tommy needed some time to think. Dream had promised they were brothers- Tommy  _ missed _ him. The snip of scissors behind him, fingers running through his hair. When Dream would take his blood -  _ you get sick easily _ , his brother had said,  _ I’m trying to make sure you’re alright _ \- he was softer than he’d ever be otherwise. Yeah, sure, sometimes Dream hurt him and hit him, but it was because Tommy deserved it.

Right?

He’d stretched before he’d fallen, after all. Tommy let the pounding of his feet against pavement lull his thoughts away, focusing on sucking in enough air to keep the pace up. Soon, pavement turned to trees, and Tommy focused instead of avoiding branches, gently going through bushes, keeping his steps light and avoiding anything that would give his trail away. He knew he was hard to track, it was why he and Dream had developed the whistle system.

Tommy spent a lot of time in the forest, back then. Even though these trees were circular, less uniform in shape and size, narrow branches whipping against the wind, it was still familiar. Dream had a hard time tracking him through the brambles. Something about the life contained in the woods made Tommy nigh impossible to find. It had always been like, even since he was small, and Dream used Tommy’s access to the forest as punishment for misbehaviour.

The branches closed behind him, magic sizzling. The marks on his palms pulsed painfully as Tommy leaned against a tree, sliding down and staring down at his hands. He was far away enough now, he supposed. Tubbo poked at the back of his hand, his fear clouding Tommy’s mind. Tommy sighed and closed his eyes, blocking the Bond out.

Tubbo had said that they were Bound together now. They couldn’t break it, not if they wanted to- not that Tommy  _ wanted _ to, either. He liked having a friend. He and Tubbo had stayed up many nights, giggling and passing pieces of their lives back and forth, like the time Wilbur had gotten so irritated at Techno reading at the dinner table that he’d picked up an entire plate of mashed potatoes and  _ smashed _ it into Techno’s face.

The memory of Techno’s eye twitching as potatoes dripped off his face was one Tubbo had chortled at for  _ hours _ . It was nice to have a friend to laugh at things with. Dream would have found it funny too, Tommy was sure, but Dream wasn’t really a friend. More like a-

The marks on his hands burned, a branding solid on his palms. Tommy lightly closed his fists, Tubbo poking at his mind again. Techno had probably noticed him missing, then. But even with the magic tracking thingy the Blessings gave the gods, Tommy knew he wouldn’t be found unless he wanted to be. He glanced up as the forest darkened, magic older than the gods closing in around him and keeping him cocooned in the trees.

_ We’ll come into our godly powers, you know. It’s our inheritance, _ Tubbo had explained, tracing the marks on Tommy’s palms.  _ You should have noticed how some magic follows you around already. You won’t really have any control over it, but it’ll happen around you. _

_ What happens when we do come into our inheritance?  _ Tommy asked. Would he lose this new family, even if he’d just gotten them back?

_ We’ll have to adjust to our new powers and responsibilities. Dream says we’ll keep our Blessings and the gifts that come with them. Something to do with godlings being more powerful than they should- I dunno, I wasn’t listening. _

_ Not listening? _ Tommy had teased.  _ Gosh Tubbo, way to go. _

_ You were the one who was distracting me! _

_ It’s not my fault Techno started a potato war! _

Tubbo sent him an image of an empty room. Tommy didn’t bother responding and Tubbo’s concern grew. Tommy didn’t want to worry them, but he knew full well that the storm of emotions whirling through his head would just make Tubbo more upset. Tommy missed Dream.

He didn’t miss Dream- he shouldn’t miss Dream-

He remembered the feeling of being scooped up in an acid hoodie after Dream had saved him from some mobs, and Tommy curled into a tighter ball. He knew he  _ shouldn’t _ . The others - his brothers? - talked about Dream like he was someone they wanted to kill. Tommy was afraid of the rage in their eyes. He almost wished that they would hit him, get their rage out, stop directing it into the air. This world’s Dream was strange, too.

They looked similar but they sounded the same, and Tommy couldn’t help how he froze and hung onto every one of god-Dream’s words. God-Dream stopped visiting as much.

Tommy wasn’t used to being coddled, knew that he didn’t really deserve it. At least back  _ home _ , he would fix the house and clean the dishes and sometimes cook on the days Dream didn’t want to. He would sometimes mine, sometimes gather mushrooms and flowers. He had something productive to do.

_ Make yourself useful, Tommy. _

He didn’t have anything of use to do here. He could learn, yeah, Phil had gotten several other gods to drop by with books and books, teaching Tommy things until his head spun and he had to sit out in the hallway. Tubbo started joining him after the first episode, and they’d learn together. Tommy had a feeling that Tubbo already knew these-these math equations and this history and whatever the hell was going on in physics, and that he was just there to make Tommy feel better.

_ What else are you good for? _

He’d tried to help with laundry or dishes, but he’d gotten chased out by the workers Phil kept in the castle. They weren’t human, they were too small. Wilbur called them brownies, but Tommy didn’t really know what that meant. He thought asking would make too much of a bother, so Tommy had just nodded like he knew what he was talking about and walked along.

_ You don’t deserve any of this. _

He could see torches through the canopy the branches had provided him. The gods were searching for him. Tommy couldn’t really understand  _ why _ , they’d said they loved him. But they didn’t hurt him either, and what was the difference anymore? Tubbo prodded at the back of his skull, harder, more insisting. Tommy ignored him. Maybe he shouldn’t have run from Dream.

The marks on his palms and throat burned. Tommy knew why, it’d happened several times- Wilbur and Techno had activated the Blessing, searching for Tommy’s precise location. He could hear a yell of frustration, following a darker rumble. The forest was throwing them off. Even if they knew where he was, the paths under their feet kept shifting, creating a maze that was constantly moving.

Wasn’t the first time it had happened. They’d just have to wait until the storm in Tommy’s head passed.

It started to rain, lightning crashing down onto the ground. Phil still hadn’t activated his Blessing, wanting Tommy to trust them first -  _ you’ll be pretty dependent for a few weeks  _ \- but did that mean Phil didn’t really want him? He’d offered to break off the Blessing, Tubbo said that there was nothing that could hurt worse to a god. Phil hated him so much that he would rather go through all that pain than keep Tommy around.

_ He loves you. He doesn’t want to hurt you. _ It sounded suspiciously like Tubbo and Tommy wondered bitterly when their Bond had gotten strong enough that they could communicate telepathically.  _ When my horns came in, I was blind and in pain for days, I could barely move. I had to rely on the others for everything while I recovered. It takes a lot of trust to do that, and Phil doesn’t want you to feel like they’re making you weak so you’ll depend on them. _

Tommy tried to bottle his emotions up. It didn’t really work. Tubbo sent waves of comfort through the Bond, echoing in Tommy’s chest.

_ They don’t want to hurt you, _ Tubbo sighed, and Tommy could imagine the trace of fingers through his hair.  _ Where are you? We’re trying to find you. The Blessings are not leading us anywhere. _ Tubbo briefly sent the image of Wilbur throwing his hands in the air, tears in his eyes.

_ In the forest _ . Tommy hummed, mouthing the words as he thought them as loud as he could back. Tubbo chuckled in response, and Tommy adjusted his volume as he blushed. At least it was working.

_ Where in the forest? _

_ I don’t know. _

_ The forest is working against us. The path keeps moving. _

_ I know. _ Tommy looked up as the ground shifted again, this time separating Wilbur and Techno, leaving Wilbur with Tubbo. He could see it through Tubbo’s eyes, feel Tubbo’s mouth moving as he said he was connected to Tommy. Wilbur looked scared, and the trees curled harder around Tommy.

_ Do you know why it’s happening?  _ Tubbo hummed. Tommy could recognize the tune of Mellohi, a small disk that had been left on his bed after Tommy had mentioned not being able to sleep without music. He had a sneaking suspicion about who had left it there- if it was either of the twins or Phil, they would have just given it to him themselves. The smiley faced button left abandoned on the floor had answered any questions Tommy had.

_ I’m- _ Tommy cut himself off,  _ I was trying to sort out my feelings on- on the other Dream. I got a little upset. _

_ You can control the forest? _ Tommy peeked through Tubbo’s eyes again, watching Wilbur’s lips part in surprise as Tubbo conveyed the news.

_ I don’t control anything, _ Tommy raised a hand, knowing Tubbo was looking through Tommy’s eyes this time, both of them watched as a branch grew and gently curled around Tommy’s wrist, small white flowers blooming along the bark.  _ It just reacts to me. _

_ Okay, _ Tubbo said something, it echoed in Tommy’s ears but he wasn’t really paying attention.  _ Maybe focus on letting one of us in? Like calming down, or asking for comfort from one of us. _

Tommy hummed, checking his mind out of the Bond. He closed his eyes, feeling the confusion bubbling up about how he  _ should _ feel. Techno had told him he didn’t need to feel anything. His grip had tightened when Tommy had admitted to missing Dream, the night Techno had read to him the myth that Tommy was named for. Techno had said that they would teach Tommy to not accept hurt as a form of affection anymore, that he knew it would take time. Tommy missed the fluff on his cape, even overbearing as he could be.

Tommy missed Techno.

_ Techno _ .

Tommy looked up and Techno was standing in front of his little clearing. His hair was a mess, unbraided and flowing unhindered down his back. There were leaves stuck in it, a desperate haze over his red eyes. Techno spotted Tommy as their eyes met, the god launching himself forward.

Tommy’s brother slid the last few feet and gathered Tommy up into his arms.

“My head is all confused ‘n shit,” Tommy slurred, burying his face in Techno’s chest. “I can’t decide if I miss Dream or not.”

“It’s okay if you do,” Techno whispered. “It’ll take a long time to undo what he did. He was the only person you had, back then. It’s okay.”

Tommy hadn’t realized he’d expected to get hit until he was relaxing into Techno’s hold. He’d be okay. He’d be okay.

“I won’t let him hurt you anymore,” Techno’s hands were in his hair again. Tommy promptly decided it was his favourite form of contact, leaning into the touch. Techno’s voice was deep that it rumbled his entire chest when he spoke, and Tommy snuggled his face further into the sound. “I won’t let anything hurt you anymore.”

“Okay.” Tommy whispered back, sighing as Techno leaned back on the tree with him. Techno’s hand stayed in his hair, his other swirling his cape around Tommy, shielding him from view.

“You got this entire forest on your side, here. This happen often?”

“Sometimes,” Tommy breathed. “When I’m upset. Dream could never find me, the woods would do the same thing where they’d make him go down a different path, even if he knew where I was. We whistled instead.”

“Whistled?”

“Yeah, he’d stand at the edge of the forest and whistle if he needed me. Then I could come back on my own and he wouldn’t waste his time in the woods.”

“Looking for you would  _ never _ be a waste of time,” Techno snarled. Tommy tensed, trying to remember that the anger wasn’t aimed at him. “But this whistle system sounds like a good idea. Think we could try it out next time you need to chill out with nature?”

“Yeah,” Tommy said. He looked up at Techno, watching his brother’s impassive face. Techno’s face never really changed much, ever. “Do you think Phil can activate the Blessing soon?”

Techno shifted Tommy in his arms, gently scratching his nails through Tommy’s hair. Tommy melted back onto his brother, sighing as Techno let out a chuckle. Techno was the  _ best _ for scratches, his hands were carved into wicked claws that hit every itchy spot Tommy had. “I think that’s a good idea. Considering how strong your passive magic was here,” Techno gestured towards the woods, which was still throwing Tubbo and Wilbur around on different paths. “I think you’ll inherit your Godhood within the year, or maybe into the next. Phil’s gonna be so excited, you know.” Tommy grinned, nodding.

“ _ I’m _ super excited,” he admitted, flexing his shoulder blades. “I wanna fly.”

Techno groaned. “Of course you do, imagine all the mischief you could cause with a pair of wings.”

“ _ Ex-act-ly. _ ” Tommy enunciated, grinning up at Techno. His brother chuffed out his own laughter. As Tommy calmed, the magic that had kept him separate from the others slowly faded.

“Tommy!” Tubbo shrieked, seeming to spot him through the bush.

“Technooooooo-” Tommy whined, looking up at his brother with pleading eyes. “Don’t let Tubbo jump on me, he never looks where his horns are going.”

Techno grinned, something dark and  _ dangerous _ . Tommy gulped as he was picked up and thrown over Techno’s broad shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He let out an oof as his chest smacked against Techno’s back, the god standing and bolting out of the woods. Tommy propped himself up, grinning at the enraged screech Wilbur let out and how Tubbo paused, midway through a hug-launch. Tommy held up two middle fingers as Techno burst out of the wood, giggling at the people left in their literal  _ dust _ .

“THAT’S FOR BONKING ME WITH YOUR FUCKING HORNS,  **BITCH** !” Tommy shrieked, smacking Techno’s back as Tubbo got on Wilbur’s back and the two of them launched after them.

“Run Techie, run!” Tommy called, gripping at Techno’s satin shirt.

“T-Techie?” Techno sounded like he was choking.

“Just  **go** , bitch boy, I want to win!”

“Whatever you want, Theseus.” Techno picked up the pace, launching himself up the side of the castle walls and slipping inside. Their chase continued, launching a couch and almost killing Tubbo, to Ranboo helping Tubbo and Wilbur teleport,  _ those cheaters _ , and ending finally when Dream side-stepped out of an alternate dimension and stepped into another, bringing Tommy and Techno with him.

They’d collapsed onto the ground, chests heaving with laughter as Dream grinned from above them.

Maybe god-Dream wasn’t so bad, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll see you tomorrow~


	14. Wings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy accepts Phil's Blessing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HULLO HULLO
> 
> Sorry for the delay. My place of living got hit by a major winter storm, and while we're used to snow, the weather pressure triggered a few days of migraines, so I've been out of commission.
> 
> Hope you guys are doing better than I am lmao
> 
> I think next chapter I'll share my dan dan noodles recipe, I love dan dan noodles. They're my current fav comfort food

Tommy after he was found by the gods, as well as his official wing design!

\---

"You're sure? Absolutely sure?"

Tommy  _ sighed _ for what felt like the tenth time. It'd been exactly six hours since his little romp in the woods- the world that other-Dream had sent them into was a weird one. Apparently it held nothing hostile, just a bunch of bugs and flowers. It'd been really peaceful, and the flowers had smelled kinda like Techno's soap, so Tommy had settled down for a good nap. When they'd returned, Dream had quickly slunk off, ruffling Tommy's hair and reminding him that all he needed to do was ask if he ever wanted to go back and have a break from the coddling.

"Yes, Phil," Tommy sighed, kicking his legs absently. He felt his toes squish against the couch as he pressed more of his weight down. "I want wings." Tommy tried not to whine, but judging from the low coo Wilbur let out, it clearly didn't work. Tommy turned his best glare towards the yellow bastard, who was just sitting there. Picture of innocence.

Tommy begged to fucking differ.

"Okay," Phil's hand was in his hair again and Tommy huffed at the contact. They'd already taken his shirt off, something about not getting blood on it. He was in a pair of comfy sweats that Wilbur had bought him and that Tubbo had embroidered little bees on. Tommy's frustration prickled through the Bond and Tubbo chuckled from the floor. "You're positive?"

Tommy had asked if Tubbo could come while the Blessing was growing in, and now, the clingy bitch wouldn't let go of Tommy's hand. Not that Tommy had initiated the contact, or anything.

He was a big man.

_ The biggest. _ Tubbo whispered through the Bond, and Tommy stuck his tongue out at him. Curse his rich internal monologues.

"He's starting to get grumpy, Mr. Philza." Tubbo hummed from the floor. Tommy could feel Tubbo's thumb brush up and down the back of his hand, a bandage catching on the skin every so often. Apparently Tubbo was making some more patches and he'd pricked himself while sewing. Tommy tried to keep a lid on the distress spiking his system but judging by Tubbo inching closer, a grin slowly growing on his stupid face, Tommy could safely assume he'd failed.

Tommy turned his head away from the edge of the couch, away from Tubbo, and instead stared at the back of the couch. Phil's hands left his hair and Tommy huffed out a breath- laying on his front like this was rather uncomfortable. He just wanted to get this over with, but he couldn't help the anxiety. Did Phil even want to activate the Blessing? Tubbo said he did but maybe Tubbo didn't know Phil as well as he thought he did. Tubbo could be wrong, and Phil could not want the Blessing because he didn't want  _ Tommy _ and that was fine, it was  _ fine _ , but then Phil should  _ just say it  _ so Tommy could  _ leave  _ and he wasn't going to cry about it-

Tubbo made a hushing sound, his fingers scratching at Tommy's scalp just the way he liked it. Tommy melted into the couch, closing his eyes and falling into the Bond, letting Tubbo soothe his worries away. Through Tubbo's eyes, Tommy could see how damn  _ proud _ Phil looked. Proud, scared- Phil's hands were on his shoulder blades now.

The mark on his back began to pulse with increasing heat. Tommy shifted as the Blessing finally activated. Like the others, it grew warm until it stabilized into a little glow. Even though Phil's hand left his back, Tommy could still feel the imprint of the comfort on him.

"Okay, mate," Phil got off the couch, leaning over Tommy and checking his shoulder blades. They'd started aching, like Tommy had lifted things that were too heavy. He knew that Phil knew what he was doing - well probably knew what he was doing - but it was still  _ scary _ . Tommy's hand tightened on Tubbo's as the ache grew, spiking in intensity and going from his shoulders all the way down his back. "Techno, you have the numbing potions? And healing ones?"

Tommy distantly heard Techno hum in response. Any other time, he would have mocked the slight crack in Techno's monotone response, but he was kind of focused on the fact that the previous ache had turned to something more like  _ knives _ .

"Pain's gone from achy to stabby," Tubbo's voice was far away in Tommy's ears. He could feel the Bond pulse in the back of his head and he tunneled into it, soaking up the reassurance Tubbo offered. The skin on Tommy's back started to protest, feeling like a stab pulled too tight- "I think his back is going to- oh there it goes."

Something warm and  _ wet _ was trickling down Tommy's ribcage. He gasped out a shuddering breath as his back  _ screamed _ . Felt like more knives. Fire? Tommy wasn't sure anymore but he had to keep quiet, had to shut his mouth,  _ Dream hated it when he cried _ -

"Shhhh, shhh," Tommy's awareness of the world came back, Tubbo forcing him out of his own mind. He was cradling Tommy's head, one hand going white under the pressure of Tommy's grip and the other scratching at his skull. Tommy  _ whined _ , his free hand scrabbling at the couch's fabric for any kind of purchase to hold on to. "You're okay. Dream's not here, never going to be here again-" Tommy's hearing was fading in and out. Distantly, he knew that Wilbur got banished to a corner by Phil, that Techno was gently applying numbing to his back, that Phil's low murmurs told Techno where to apply for the most effect.

It  _ hurt _ . He knew it would, but this was just- Tommy tried to ease up on Tubbo's hand, but his Bonded just shook his head and leaned his own forehead on Tommy's. Tommy could feel tears dribble down his face as the pain dulled from that sharpness back to a very distinct ache. It spiked with every breath and Tommy could  _ hear _ something cracking underneath his skin. Tubbo knocked back against his forehead again, promptly stealing Tommy's attention. Tubbo's horns dug into his skull.

_ I was blind and in pain for days afterwards _ .

Tommy whined, his ankles straining as he felt something fucking  _ move _ under his skin. He was pretty sure it was Wilbur's hands on his legs, stopping him from flinging himself around too much- Wilbur had callouses, like Techno, but Wilbur's were all on the tips of his fingers instead of all over his hands.

_ I'm sorry _ \- Tommy cried at the Bond, grasping for it, trying to talk to Tubbo.  _ I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm- _

_ Why are you apologizing? _ Tubbo was humming one of the disc tunes that Dream kept leaving him.

_ I wasn't there when you were going through this. _ Tommy's back arched as the pain spiked again, going through his shoulder blades like a bolt of lightning. He was pretty sure the first wet shit had been blood, and now he was pretty sure there was more.  _ I wasn't there- _

_ And it wasn't your fault. _ Tubbo pulled him back into the Bond, Tommy relaxing minutely when Techno applied more of the numbing potion.  _ I had the rest of my family doting on me, I was okay. Besides, horns aren't wings, ya know.  _ Tommy hissed through his teeth when something grappled under his skin again. He could feel the skin moving, like a muscle twitch but so, so much worse.  _ Relax.  _ Tubbo asked, and Tommy tried to unclench his jaw.  _ The wings have formed, their exit point has been made, they just need to burst out. _

_ You're sure? _ Tommy hated how small he sounded. He hadn't- he hadn't sounded that helpless since the time Dream had vanished for a week, and come back to the cabin to find Tommy feverish and barely lucid. He'd hit Tommy a bunch those days. Too needy, too whiny, too clingy- Tommy deserved it. Deserved it, he deserved it, he didn't deserve the numbing or Wilbur's low croons or Techno's solid support or-

Tommy broke out of his thoughts, his vision whiting out as something pushed against the left ...exit point, pressurepressure _pressure_ _release_. Something slithered out of his back, and Tommy saw _stars_. He gasped out, breaths shuddering, his ears ringing as all he could focus on was the _thing_ now laying on his back. He was cold - it was cold? - it was numb, something was wrong, something was _wrong_ -

"Breathe with me Tommy, I want you to breathe," Wilbur's voice broke through the haze and Tommy nodded several times, fast. Sorta felt like his brains were mush. The right part of his back started shuddering the same way the left had. "In for four-" Tommy counted, his breath shuddering through the tears as the other wing pushed against the exit slice. "Hold for two-" Tommy held, Tubbo's thumb stroking his cheeks. "Out for four." The second wing was out, the same cold numbness the first had. 

Wilbur had started speaking again but Tommy wasn't listening, panicking that  _ something was wrong with his wings _ . Tubbo said something, voice sharper than Tommy had  _ ever _ heard it, and the heavy weights on his back were quickly moved.

He whined as they moved. Both they and his back ached like fucking  _ hell _ . It was dulled, now, no longer sharp and piercing, but it was still a lot more pain than Tommy particularly wanted to be in. Something soft touched his wings and Tommy instinctively jerked away, feather-light touches keeping them still and swaddling them in that weird soft fabric.

_ Tommy? _

_ Tubbo? _

_ Back with us? _

_ I… I think. What was-  _ Tommy winced as his wing was jerked a little too hard, hushed apologies from Techno following seconds later.  _ What was- _

_ You wings don't have feathers yet.  _ Tubbo spoke. He was a little bit amused, a little bit scared, but mostly just radiating comfort. Tommy wiggled into it, sighing as Tubbo's emotions ran over him. He was so tired.  _ They feel like that because there aren't any feathers. Techno and Phil are swaddling them, supposedly your feathers will grow in within the next few days. _

_ Will it hurt?  _ Tommy curled up into the Bond, letting Tubbo verbally ask his question.

_ It'll itch. Not hurt.  _ Tubbo said and Tommy groaned at the idea. Pain, at least, usually ended. Endless itching was  _ horrible _ and Tommy was definitely going to scratch.  _ I'll stick mitts on your hands, _ Tubbo threatened, but Tommy could feel the amusement clouding his words.  _ Don't think I won't, big man. _

_ I'm a big man _ . Tommy sighed into the Bond, body finally going limp against the couch.

_ The biggest. _ Tubbo responded. Slowly, Tommy came back into physical awareness, focusing first on how Tubbo's bandaged thumb swiped up and down his cheek, how Tubbo's horns pressed against his skull, how Tubbo had managed to get his bandage all wet with Tommy's crying.

Tubbo, Tubbo, Tubbo. Focus on-

Tommy's left hand twitched and he shifted his eyes open just a bit, seeing the harsh red marks all along Tubbo's hand. Guilt pierced his stomach as Tubbo made a questioning noise. Tommy could tell that those marks were going to bruise later- it was all his fault.

"Sor-" Tommy cleared his throat, voice scratchy and achy from screaming. He hadn't even  _ realized _ he was screaming. "'M sorry abou' you hand, 'ubbo."

"Shh big man, I'm not mad." Tubbo gently kissed Tommy's forehead, keeping his hand in Tommy's.  _ Do you want some soup? _ Tubbo asked, through the Bond, and Tommy hesitated.  _ Techno made some soup and put some healing potion in it. Your body will have burned through a lot of calories to try and make those wings, and the extra muscles needed to use them, so you're gonna be eating a lot the next few days. And you're already so skinny. _ Tubbo asked Techno for some soup before Tommy could answer, the only response from his brother being his footfalls back into the kitchen. Tubbo whispered a thanks and took the soup bowl, gently spooning it into Tommy's mouth.

Tommy wanted to cry, wanted to protest. He'd never felt more helpless than when Techno had tied him up in his cape and fed him, but somehow, it being Tubbo made it okay. Tommy opened his mouth and let Tubbo feed him, trying to relax. He could feel eyes burning into his back and he held back the tears. He wasn't  _ weak _ . He wasn't-

_ They aren't looking, _ Tubbo soothed.  _ They're just wrapping your wings and trying to heal up the cracks in your back. They don't think you're weak, they're just angry that they weren't able to do more to help you. _ Tommy nodded at Tubbo's thoughts, letting his best friend feed him more soup. He felt a little better with the soup in him, the ache subsiding in his back just enough to let Tommy relax.

Tommy wasn't sure he believed him. But even if he didn't, he relaxed in and just let his family take care of him.

_ Techno's gonna baby the shit out of you. _ Tommy groaned at the laugh in Tubbo's words.  _ He's just- he's just-  _ Tubbo broke off to laugh.  _ You're gonna be trying to do anything and he's just gonna be there like  _ **_L O O M_ ** _. _ Tubbo sent the mental image of Techno staring Tubbo down through his bangs, leaning forward and watching unblinkingly.

_ No cause you're gonna stay and tell him to stop being a bitch. _ Tommy grumped back.

_ Oh, I'll definitely be staying, but I don't think anything I could do would make him refrain. _

_ Tell him he's a bitch. _

_ Tommy, he's literally wrapping your wing right now- _

_ Bitch boy. _

"Technoblade, Tommy says you're a bitch." Tommy looked through Tubbo's eyes as his Bond said it, watching as Techno's eyebrows shot up and his mouth downturned, confusion in how his hands stuttered as he stared at Tubbo.

"Heh?" he asked.  _ Eloquent _ . Tommy thought and Tubbo dissolved into giggles. Phil's shoulders started shaking with laughter as Wilbur threw his head back and grinned, poking Techno and then bouncing out of Techno's retaliation range.

"Back with us, mate?" Phil asked. He started petting Tommy's hair again as Tubbo fed him more soup.

_ Yeah. _

"I don't think he can talk right now, but he's in our Bond, so. He's aware." Tubbo said. "I kept him as calm as I could."

"You did a great job, Tubbo," Phil said and Tommy felt Tubbo glow shyly under the praise. "I was expecting a lot worse."

_ How could that have gone worse?  _ Tommy thought. He flexed his fingers, slowly trying to bring awareness back to his body.

_ Beats me _ . Tubbo grinned, giving him more soup.

_ Can I go to sleep now? _

“He’s tired. Can he sleep?” Tubbo asked, glancing up at Phil.

“Not yet. His body burned through too much energy - calories, glucose, carbohydrates - to be able to sleep safely yet. Once he finishes that soup, he can sleep.” another spoon of soup touched Tommy’s mouth and grumpily he opened it and swallowed the broth. He swore to god, sometimes Techno liked potatoes a little safer than was normal. He slowly chewed a cooked piece of mushy potato and tried to send his sheer disdain at Tubbo. His Bonded laughed, spoon shaking as he did.

“He’s getting sick of potatoes.” Tubbo giggled. He held another spoon of soup, this time thankfully sans of potato.

“Sick of potatoes?” Techno echoed. Tommy placed him somewhere behind him, looming over. He sent the same image of Techno looming that Tubbo had earlier, and they both started shaking in fits of giggles. “That’s like being sick of breath- why are you laughing.”

“ _ L o o m _ .” Tubbo had just enough breath to wheeze the word out before he was back into stitches.

“H-he- he just-  _ l o o m _ .” Tommy repeated. His voice was still scratchy, but that was alright. He could work with it anyway.

\---

Dream uncrossed his legs, swirling a vial around in his hand.

Gods weren’t supposed to bleed, no?

He’d always found it funny how his little Tommy could, despite all evidence of him being  _ more _ than just a human. And it did quite seem that the rest of these Gods could bleed. The vial was shining a bright gold, the liquid sloshing in the container.

It’d done an excellent job repairing his body and ears after what Tommy had pulled earlier.

But it was fine.

It was fine.

He’d have to undo all of the damage these false gods had caused, but after that-

There was a  _ reason _ Dream had created Pandora’s Vault in a separate dimension. And after he was done, there was going to be no more of this foolishness.

Tommy would learn.

Dream took a dropper and squeezed more of Technoblade’s ichor into the potion bottle, watching as it sizzled in contact with the blaze powder.

Tommy would learn.

  
And Dream was  _ nothing  _ if not a patient teacher.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you scared yet?


	15. Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Would you sacrifice the life of one for the wellbeing of thousands?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hullo hullo as promised, noodles:
> 
> NOODLES  
> 1\. Mix together 2tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp sesame seeds, several shakes of pepper, 1tbsp chili flakes, 1/2tsp lemon juice, shake of garlic powder or like 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1tbsp vegetable oil or sesame oil. Add 1 1/2 tbsp peanut butter and mash it in with a fork until it's like a thick sauce.
> 
> 2\. Cook your noodles. I use 2 packages of ramen, like the 30 cent ones? They soak up the sauce pretty well, but whatever noodles you wanna use.
> 
> 3\. Save about 1/4 cup of your noodle water and put it in your sauce. Mix it, drain the rest of the noodles. Put noodles in sauce and mix up
> 
> 4\. Enjoy noodles
> 
> They're like. Just a bit spicy and peanut buttery and really good. Fav comfort food rn
> 
> Lemme know if you try them

Dream pocketed his hands as he walked through the prison- prison?  _ Sam _ had called it a prison, but his world's Sam who had built it was dead now. Prisons were meant for dangerous things. Usually held themselves in deplorable conditions. So Dream had renamed his Pandora's  _ Vault  _ instead, where he was going to be  _ storing _ something precious instead.

Dream had gone here, watching from edges of the Vault as the gods had descended, striking down his world with flame and lightning and smoke before deleting it all in a glitched, empty acid, leaving behind nothing but a black void and a bright green smile etched into every block that was supposed to be there. Dream had heard the screams as the gods had taken vengeance out on the people who lived in this world, but he'd been much more concerned about how Technoblade, Niki, the other-him, had  _ taken _ Tommy to their world and locked the door behind them.

It was fine, when Tommy's blood was the key.

Dream had saved vials and vials of it, half of it extending his control over the SMP, the other stored in the Vault. To be kept safe, like Tommy was about to be.

When Dream had first learned of the gods' server, he'd been young. Scared and running from a disgruntled iron golem when he had wished for any way to escape. And he'd stepped into a new world.

New villages, new places, but unlike his original, it was filled to the  _ brim _ with magic. Dream had spent the next several years hopping worlds, seeing the places, meeting new and old and different versions of his friends. He'd wondered how George and Sapnap were faring back in his home, but it didn't really matter because he had found so many versions of George and Sapnap across other worlds.

And if one day he woke up and forgot his original dimension, he was okay with that.

He had started to notice a pattern across the world a hundred and twenty two years in. Creation, life, life, life, destruction. The life always came in threes: three cohesive chapters before the end of a book. The destruction was almost always the same, too. A wandering egg, yet to hatch, would plant itself and dig blood red veins into everything, sucking the life from a world until it decayed and collapsed in on itself. The universe dies with a whimper. Or, a wandering dragon- dark scales and massive wings, with eyes that shone purple bright even through the multitudes of feet separating it from its prey. The universe dies in a bang.

The only constant, the  _ only _ , was the world where people worshipped gods that were real. Gods that Dream could visit, see, touch. He'd gotten a glimpse of one of them, once, standing in the back of a murmuring crowd. Pink hair, red cape, something ageless and dangerous in his face. They hadn't made eye contact, and Dream had slunk away.

_ Technoblade never dies, _ the crowd had whispered.  _ He is dying now- _ some argued.  _ Ranboo has been blessed with a Godling brother and he has not. _

These people had magic beyond anything Dream had seen in other worlds. The greater the empire, the harder it falls, yet even when the centuries passed, this place stayed unmoving. Constant.

It was  _ irritating _ .

That night, Dream had snuck into the castle's medical wards, lips murmuring as his spells deftly drafted any attention spent on him elsewhere. He wasn't invisible, but the guards would filter out the memory of his presence like he was. He'd stolen bits out of every vial of blood he could find, the golden liquid ready to go out for testing.  _ Testing for what? _ Dream had remembered thinking.  _ They're gods. What exactly do they have to fear from a disease? _

Dream had learned that it wasn't disease they were using the blood for, as he'd dripped some of his stolen ichor into a strength potion. The resulting concoction had been the gods-damned  _ strongest _ thing he had ever brewed, and Dream always used fresh, quality ingredients in all of his potions.

It bolstered his magic. It cured wounds, it healed the massive scars along his face that the dragon had left the first time Dream had faced it, when he fled like a coward. He still wore the mask out of habit, but it wasn't necessary anymore.

He found that the god blood didn't react to everything, though. It wasn't particularly useful in most magic casting, it was too rigid, wouldn't bind with other ingredients. He couldn't draw the magic out. Before Dream had known it, almost a year had passed.

When he emerged from his little workshop for the first time in ten and a half months, he'd picked up immediately that a new Godling had been born. Baby gods.

It had started small.

Just  _ watching _ the little baby, christened Theseus by the very man Dream stole the blood of. He wasn't going to kidnap a baby, he had no idea how to look after a baby.

He supposed he could have watched the other Godling - Tubbo, whatever - but from what he'd picked up in this world was that the trio of Philza, Technoblade, and Wilbur was far stronger than the trio of Schlatt, Quackity, and Ranboo. Dream would take his chances that Theseus would be more powerful.

It grew.

Dream would sneak in every few months to extract just a bit of blood from the chubby baby. Too small to speak, to tell, and babies cried all the time- he'd managed to make himself scarce before anyone came to check on the crying child.

Babies also had bruises all the time. They wouldn't ever notice.

Theseus' blood was  _ perfect _ for his experiments. It contained so much hidden magic, but was diluted enough with mortal cells that it could react to pretty much anything while also giving a similar magical effect to Dream's experiments.

This could be it, the thing that would give him the power to finally  _ kill _ the dragon,  _ smash _ the egg- he'd be the hero for all the universes that had never had one. The universes these gods didn't  _ care  _ enough about.

Dream needed more.

He'd marched himself to the castle, found the godly version of himself, and explained  _ everything _ . He didn't mention taking Theseus' blood, didn't think it wise quite yet, but mentioned how he's been exploring using the gods' internal magic as a mechanism to bolster spells. He knew he was a creature of logic and reason, beyond anything else-

But then that Dream had said  _ no _ .

"We are aware of the Ender Dragon and of the Egg. It is not a threat to this world and we will not be stretching our resources to bother with something so insignificant."

"Insignificant? We're talking about entire  _ worlds  _ being destroyed!"

"I have no idea how you managed to get yourself here," the other Dream glared and  _ hard _ and if Dream hadn't faced down worse, he might have balked. "But you will not return."

He'd been sent to a new world, but the vial of gold-flecked crimson in his pocket opened him back into the godly world again. Dream had expected to be arrested, detained, but- nothing. They didn't even notice he was here.

Dream had turned a sly eye onto the castle, where he knew little Theseus was sleeping.

They wouldn't notice he had left.

He set his trap, waiting for the Godlings to approach the cliff without their guardians, gently easing the magic of suggestion through from his fingers to their thoughts. Children were so easy to manipulate.

And while he had wanted to take both of them, Tubbo had been too far from the ledge when he had the perfect moment to snatch Theseus.

If one was all he could have, the one was all he wanted.

Dream had cast a sleeping spell and launched himself backwards through the portal. The closing of it cut off the beginnings of a terrified scream from Tubbo.

Dream had laid in the grass, laughing and laughing and  _ laughing _ , because it had  _ worked _ and now he could finally continue his research absolutely unhindered.

Sleeping toddler in his arms, he'd started a SMP. He renamed his new brother Tommy - had thought briefly about using a nametag on him, and then realized that that might be just a little  _ too _ mean - and raised him on these fields.

Tommy had been  _ wild _ . The magic that sung in his veins would always be louder than Dream, so he always took a special sort of pride in how Tommy listened to him over it. Even when the woods closed in, even when the world warped around him, even when fires and explosions would fly out of his hair and from his hands when he threw tantrums.

Dream was  _ patient _ and Tommy learned to be  _ good _ . This was just another one of those times, another maze of trees that Tommy got himself stuck in. Dream would fish him out, bring him back, and they could go back to how it all used to be.

_ Almost _ how it used to be.

The Vault was inescapable, lined with obsidian and the main room being suspended over a bridge of lava. Dream trusted Sam's construction enough to let it stay. While the outside of it looked terrible, the only way in - or out - dangerous and ridden with traps, the inside was nice.

It looked like their cabin back home. The one Tommy had been taken away from.

This was just another forest. Just another maze. Dream would whistle and Tommy would come running.

Just like it'd always been.

\---

Tommy was about to start  _ swearing _ and  _ loudly _ . 

Techno would just. Not. Piss. Off.

Tommy had really been banking on Tubbo having been joking about the looming shit, but he really wasn't. Techno had been sitting in the same armchair since Tommy had grown his wings in. His back still ached like hell, even with the numbing potions that Techno reapplied every hour. On the hour. Tommy's brother had been flipping through the same book about birds- which Tommy felt to be mildly insulting, if he was frank. Phil had left a while ago, before the sun had set, citing that he was needed in some kind of big meeting. He'd kissed Tommy's forehead, dropped the bombshell that Tommy might start, oh what were Phil's oh-so-helpful words,  _ acquiring bird-like tendencies _ . Apparently Tubbo's headbutting thing was similar. Give a man horns and he acts like a goat.

Tommy eyed Techno from the couch. He hadn't been allowed to get up, his wings in slings. The bandages wrapped around his chest and shoulders, keeping the weird ass things still so that Tommy didn't injure himself.

Not like he could go anywhere - every time Tommy so much as twitched, his whole body would spasm in pain. Tubbo was still sitting in front of the couch, Tommy's hand draped over his shoulder, as he delicately threaded his needle through Tommy's cape. It'd been red, but Tubbo was bored, and started adding gold accents at the bottom. It didn't look terrible, and Tubbo seemed real excited about it, so Tommy just sniffed and watched him. Not like he had anything better to do.

And if he complained about it hurting, which he had only made the mistake of doing  _ once _ , Techno would come rushing over and start prodding at everything again. Then he'd unwrap the bandages, check everything, rewrap the bandages, and fetch more food from the kitchen. Tommy wasn't really listening about why he needed to eat, he just knew that if Techno shoved one more potato into his mouth, he was going to vomit  _ all over  _ that asshole's shirt.

"Techno?" there was a softer, lilted voice at the door to the sitting room, and Tommy groaned. It sounded like Wilbur, albeit strangely… musical, but he couldn't even turn his head to look. Tubbo stiffened at his side and Tommy's eyebrow rose at the apprehension coming from Tubbo's side of the Bond. "Go sharpen your swords," Tommy watched, in morbid fascination, as Techno's eyes took on a dull golden glow. He growled, briefly, dropping his book. "They need to be sharpened. What if they dull when you're protecting Tommy?" Wilbur's voice was smooth, like honey whispering over caramel, and Tommy watched Techno nod mutely, stepping out of the room and heading down the hallway. His footsteps faded as Wilbur whispered for Tubbo to sleep.

Tommy shrunk back as Tubbo's side of the Bond fell absolutely silent, washed away in a golden glow. Tubbo dropped, needle and cloak forgotten as he curled up along the side of the couch. The Bond blinked out as Tubbo went straight to sleep.

"Wilbur?" Tommy tried to move his head, but he hissed in pain as it pulled at his back. "The hell are you doing?"

"Shh shh," Wilbur stepped closer, his eyes glowing gold. "You don't feel any pain," Tommy stared into Wilbur's eyes, sinking into the depths of them. They were so pretty. So pretty. What was he saying? "You don't feel any pain at all." Tommy slowly blinked, feeling like he was moving through molasses. The pain in his back faded and he relaxed onto the couch, finally taking in deep breaths now that his ribs could handle it. Wilbur's hand was in his hair, gently pulling his fingers through the strands. "There we go, Bubba. Don't worry, I can keep the pain away long enough for you to go to sleep, alright? You're doing so well, bubs, you were so brave. I'm sorry it hurts and I'm sorry Techno's being a mother hen," Tommy felt another hand cradle his cheek and he leaned into the contact. "It'll be okay. Just go to sleep, Tommy." He felt like his head was made of cotton balls. He blinked again, eyes sliding shut.

Tommy relished the pain-free moments before sleep. The last thing he heard before he drifted off was Wilbur's humming, fingers still brushing through his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have class in 6 hours gOODNIGHT


	16. Panic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy wakes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YO IMPORTANT INFO
> 
> TW on this chapter, Tommy has a panic attack. The beginning and end of it are put in brackets, so just find the (TW: panic attack begins/ends) if you need to skip it
> 
> Stay safe

Tommy woke the next morning to the sounds of yelling.

He blinked the sleep out of his eyes, focusing that he had been moved to another room- aaaaand Wilbur was at the door, pleading with someone, before Phil's hand gripped Wilbur's ear.

"-ou have any idea how much trouble you're in, Wilbur Soot?" Phil looked  _ furious _ . "You used your powers on both Tommy  _ and _ Tubbo and when I'm done here, the next person I'm handing you over to is Schlatt!"

"'Morning, Theseus," a heavy drawl had Tommy looking up. Or, tried to anyway. His legs kicked out as pain raced down his back again and he choked down a whimper. "It's Techno, I'm on your other side. Just grabbing some more numbing potion, hang on a sec-" Wilbur started shrieking again.

"All I did was put them to sleep- and-and take Tommy's pain away! Why is that a problem- why is that a-" Tommy winced at the volume, hearing Techno's footsteps cross into Tommy's line of vision, his mouth in a hard line.

Tommy watched as Techno planted a foot on Wilbur's exposed back and kicked out, throwing his twin out into the hallway and then slamming the door shut. His brother turned to Tommy, then, left eye still twitching.

"Sorry 'bout the noise. None of us are particularly happy with Wilbur right now" Techno crossed over to Tommy's other side, the clinks of potion bottle being picked up following soon after.

"What...what happened?" Tommy's throat was scratchy, a little sore, and he hummed in appreciation when Techno gently eased a straw into his mouth. One slurp later, whatever he was drinking felt like cold water but soothed his throat like fucking magic.

"I'm sure he explained to you how his powers work, but it's different seeing him in action. He can get into people's head and give them- well, he calls them suggestions but they're really more like commands," Techno's low baritone lulled Tommy into relaxing, sipping at his drink again as Techno's hands placed themselves on his back, the familiar cool tingle of numbing following. "He kicked me out of the room and I only woke up when all of my swords had been sharpened, he sent Tubbo to sleep, and he forced your brain to stop accepting pain signals, and then also sent you to sleep."

"Well that doesn't seem too bad," Tommy picked at a stray thread on the pillow his head was on. "I mean, Dream did that a lot."

"...did he?" Techno prompted, hands digging into Tommy's back. It hurt, at first, and Tommy hissed and arched away, but then the pain gave way as his muscles finally released tension. Tommy sighed, melting into Techno's hands.

"Yeah, he uh-" Tommy blinked, trying to gather his thoughts. "I had a hard time sleeping a lot and I was also really bad when I was a kid, so he'd say things and it'd make my brain feel all weird, and then I'd do what I was supposed to."

"And that was  _ wrong _ ." Techno pressed down near Tommy's left wing, the wing jerking against the sling as the muscles that had newly grown to support them relaxed. "And what Wilbur did was wrong, too."

"But it helped me."

"It's  _ manipulation _ ," Techno moved into his line of sight and gave Tommy one of his disapproving looks. Tommy wanted to send the image to Tubbo, but his Bonded was still asleep. "And neither of them asked. They do not get to decide what you do or when you sleep- you are a person and you deserve autonomy over your own actions."

"I don't know what au-autonomy means."

"Control," Techno clarified. He brushed a piece of hair behind Tommy's ear, gently scratching his scalp before returning to Tommy's back. "You deserve control over yourself and your actions. Enough has been taken from you, and Wilbur should have known better."

"He thought he was helping."

"It doesn't matter what he thought he was doing if it hurt you. I could hurt you and call it helping - it would still be hurting."

"Oh," Tommy took another sip from his drink. His stomach was rolling. People acted with his best interests, so why was it bad if it hurt him? Dream didn't mean to hurt him, Wilbur didn't mean to hurt him, who cares about how he felt? "I don't believe you." He decided to be honest. He figured Techno probably knew the truth anyway.

"Not yet," Techno's hands started working on the new muscles on his right side and Tommy shuddered out a gasp as it released tension he didn't even know he  _ had _ . "But you will someday. And for now, we'll handle Wilbur, yeah?"

"M'kay," Tommy pulled the thread out, watching as a little hole got pulled from the pillowcase. "What if I want Wilbur to do it again?"  _ Would you give me freedom over a choice you think is wrong?  _ Tommy wanted to ask.

"Of course," Techno said. He sounded strained though, and Tommy took a judgemental and  _ loud  _ slurp from his drink. "Not right now. Wilbur will be solidly…. out of commission for a while."

Tommy let out a disappointed noise as his straw sucked in nothing but air. Techno immediately exchanged his drink for a new one.

"Wilbur is Schlatt's least favourite person right now, so after Phil's done ripping him a new one, he's probably going to hand Wilbur over and Schlatt will stick him in the deepest pits of hell and make him get himself out. Wilbur's not much of a fighter, so it'll take a bit before he manages to crawl out." Techno chuckled, finishing with Tommy's back. He felt much better, now.

"Will he-" Tommy hesitated on the words. "Will he get hurt?"

"Oh, probably. But he'll heal, we  _ are _ gods. Takes a bit more than that to knock us down."

"Please don't," Tommy fisted his hands in the sheets. Yeah, maybe he should have been mad that Wilbur used his powers on him without asking. Maybe he should have been, but Tommy could remember Wilbur's hands in his hair and a lullaby on his lips, and being under Wilbur's influence felt like warmth and honey and-and not cold and  _ empty _ \- "I don't want him to go."

( _ TW: panic attack begins here) _

"...it's okay to be mad, Theseus," Tommy felt like he was trying to breathe underwater. "He deserves to be punished."

_ He deserves to be punished. _

Dream raising a hand.

_ He deserves to be punished. _

A plate flying at his head.

_ He deserves to be punished _ .

A low hiss, a "if you would just hold still, maybe you wouldn't  _ deserve to be _ -"

Something touched his arm and Tommy screamed, spasming on the bed as panic took over. He managed to fling himself off of it, tears pouring down his cheeks at the sheer  _ pain _ of it. He tried to curl into a ball, he couldn't he couldn't it hurt too much-

His breathing was coming too fast. He was dying, he was going to  _ die  _ his heart was going too fast, everything was distant and  _ gone  _ and Tommy just- Tommy just-

"Wilburwilburwilburwilbur-" the mark on his throat burned with an intensity Tommy hadn't ever felt before. Hands tapped his arms, but Tommy threw them in front of his face, bracing for the blow. He tried to curl again, voice cracking as he shrieked from the pain racing down his spine. Distantly, the door slammed open. "Wilburwilburwilbur  _ please _ -"

Last time- last time it had hurt and everything had gone fuzzy, and was it Dream standing in front of him? Tommy tried to blink the tears out of his eyes, but they wouldn't stop coming. Red like the blood coating Dream's knuckles red like the straps on Dream's axe red like-

A splash of yellow took over his vision and Tommy remembered honey.

The mouth in front of him was red  _ red like- red like- _ Tommy couldn't hear. He could barely see, he was dying hewas-

" _ Breathe with me _ ," the same honey tone from last night wrapped around his ears, slender fingers moving his arms away from his face and pressing one of Tommy's palms against a chest. A  _ moving _ chest. Tommy inhaled, shakily, as the other chest did. He closed his eyes, let the exaggerated rise and fall guide him. " _ Count _ ," Wilbur said. "In for 2, hold for 1, out for 2." Tommy breathed.

"In for 4, hold for 2, out for 4." Tommy breathed.

"In for 6, hold for 3, out for 6." The panic started to ebb.

"In for 8, hold for 4, out for 8." Tommy hadn't realized how much his back hurt until he fell forward, legs and arms twitching. He started to cry again.

( _ TW: panic attack ends here) _

"Wilbur  _ please Wilby _ \- take it away, I can't, I can't-" Tommy sobbed into the chest in front of him.

"You don't feel any pain," fingers scratched his scalp, gently combing his hair. Tommy relaxed, breathing the same 8-4-8 pattern he'd been given. The pain was going, washing away like shells in the sand when pulled by the ocean. "You are safe." Tommy melted into the contact. His brain felt all fuzzy again, but warm, like he was falling asleep in front of the fireplace. His back had finally stopped screaming and he sniffled into Wilbur's chest.

Wilbur started humming again, the same lullaby of swoops and dips in tone, and Tommy's attention clung onto it as he was swept into Wilbur's arms. His wings jostled, and he braced for pain, relaxing when there was none. Wilbur laid him back on the bed. He went to pull away, but Tommy locked his arms around his neck. He wanted him to stay, wanted him to-

Wilbur's song didn't break as he eased himself down, and Tommy immediately buried his face into Wilbur's chest.

He heard the door open and close again, footsteps echoing in the hallways.

\---

Wilbur's humming petered off as Tommy slowly fell back into sleep. Phil couldn't help the anxiety swirling in his stomach.

The screams had been  _ terrible _ . He'd been midlecture, dragging Wilbur down the hallway and to Schlatt, when Tommy had started yelling like someone was trying to kill him. Before Phil even had time to react, Wilbur's eyes were glowing and he slammed Phil into the wall and ran.

They both knew that Techno could handle any threat that might've snuck in, but Phil still launched himself after Wilbur.

Not again.

He wasn't going to let it happen again.

And sure, Phil was angry. He was- he was a lot of things, really. Angry, disappointed, ready to slap a dampener on Wilbur's wrist and call it a day-

But Tommy was rocking on the floor, body shaking as he tried to crawl away, and Wilbur's name falling from his lips. Phil felt sick.

Judging from the look on Techno's face, he'd been the same then.

"You should go check on Techno," Phil's eyes flicked over to Wilbur, where his son had laid down beside Tommy. Their youngest was still latched around him like a little koala, and Wilbur's back was facing the door. "He must've accidentally triggered the panic attack. He's going to blame himself, you know that he needs you right now."

Wilbur was right, Phil knew he was right.

"I'm still angry," Phil's voice was clipped, feathers bristling. "And you used your powers on him  _ again _ . I know he wasn't in a state to be able to give consent to it, I know it was necessary, but-"

"I know," Wilbur, at the very least, sounded apologetic. "He was in pain and I wasn't thinking. I'm going to teach him how to block me out when he wakes up."

"He can do that?"

"I gave him  _ everything _ when I Blessed him," Phil couldn't see Wilbur's face, but he could imagine the glower on it at the idea of being accused otherwise. "Of course he can do that. He just needs to learn how."

"...alright, mate," Phil relaxed, feeling his wings lower. "I'll go check on Techno. Yell if you need anything."

Wilbur hummed.

Phil left Tommy's room, gently closing the door behind him. He knew Wilbur didn't mean to be cruel, but-

Of the three of them, Wilbur had spent the least amount of time around mortals. His words, even when he wasn't trying to, were always laced with charm that had everyone around him falling at his feet. He wasn't used to needing to ask for permission.

He was possessive, protective- he loved Tommy more than anything and Phil knew that Wilbur was so scared that one day he'd walk into Tommy's room and his brother wouldn't be there. Wilbur's powers were so connected to the mind that his own sanity was sometimes frayed. He lived like he was on a rollercoaster, spiking up in maniac highs and then dipping down to depressive lows. It'd gotten better when Tommy had been a baby, and then worsened exponentially when their youngest was kidnapped. Wilbur had been single mindedly focusing on the memory of Tommy for so long that the lines between consent and manipulation were too blurred for Wilbur to tell the difference.

It didn't make it better, didn't excuse it, but Phil understood. He stalked down the hallway, typing a quick message to Schlatt explaining that Tommy had a panic attack and that Wilbur was busy with him. Schlatt responded, quickly.

_ K. _

Phil felt his eye start twitching.

He had to find Techno. Wilbur was right, Techno likely triggered it - something he said, perhaps? - and would be blaming himself.

Phil squared his shoulders and marched onwards.

Outside, a storm raged.

\---

OKAY REAL TALK HERE'S SOME FANART

For some reason Instagram won't give me a proper image address to put the photo in so HERE is the fanart:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLf9wYAlZSf/

It was drawn by @world_loading on Instagram and you should totally go follow them and support their work bECUASE THIS ART IS AMAZING!! PLEASE GO FOLLOW THEM!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you Monday!!


	17. Whiskey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> YOU'VE BEEN ASKING FOR IT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow a chapter at a reasonable time? No way!!
> 
> I legit have gone nocturnal and I'm sleeping for like 16 hours
> 
> Time to drug myself

Techno hit the trunk of the nearest tree. His knuckles bruised.

He hit again.

The skin broke and blood speckled the surface of his skin, dotting his hands with flecks of liquid gold. He'd been so caught up in- in what? Outclassing Wilbur in being a good brother? In caring for Theseus, who'd he _mourned_?

Look how that turned out.

Theseus' face when he had screamed would haunt Techno for months to come. The way the kid had flinched back, scared and bringing his arms up to shield his face, trying to crawl away despite how much it had to have hurt- Techno was absolutely disgusted with himself. Of course talks about punishments would set off that level of panic, he was just too _thick fucking headed_ to see that before he-

He hit the tree again. A crack shuddered through the trunk and the tree fell, crashing to the ground on the opposite side of Techno. He wiped his bangs out of his eyes, flicking his hand irritably at the rain coming down.

Phil was upset. Fine. _Fine_. Techno was also pretty fucking upset.

"Techno?" speak of the devil. "Hey mate," Phil gave a strained smile. He looked like he'd run here - his hat wasn't completely soaked yet. "How about finding a better outlet for that guilt? Ranboo likes this forest."

"It was my fault," Techno stepped away from the tree. He knew he could continue until the entire place was ripped to shreds, but- he and Ranboo were friends. They'd bonded over Theseus, long talks with tea while Tubbo slept and Ranboo watched carefully. When Techno got in over his head, Ranboo was there in the shadows, a steady hand between Techno's shoulder blades and a place to teleport at the ready. He wasn't going to wreck something Ranboo liked. "I triggered it and I should have known better."

"You didn't know, mate. If I had said the same thing and Tommy had panicked, would it be my fault? Would you blame me?"

Techno gave Phil a withering look, trying to swallow the ball that had lodged itself in his throat.

"I think you should go talk to Ranboo," Phil said, and Techno groaned at the air of finality. "I've already messaged him and told him you'd be coming over. Don't want to disappoint him, no?"

"...fine," Techno sighed, letting Phil drape a wing above his head. The rain stopped pouring down his face, but he was still soaked. "Keep an eye on Theseus and Wilbur for me."

"Of course," Phil nodded. "You've hardly left Tommy's side since he got back. What happened to him wasn't your fault."

"Sure, Phil." Techno stepped away from Phil's wings, trotting off in the direction of Schlatt's stupid castle. He knew his father was full of shit - _wasn't your fault because it was **mine**_ \- was what Phil had really meant to say there, but they both knew that Techno would have sat there and argued about it.

Techno didn't bother to look over his shoulder, knowing Phil was heading back to Theseus. The kid would need his back massaged again- the wings needed more muscles along his spine and shoulders to support the new weight, and it'd looked like Theseus had torn some of them when he panicked. Techno's fingers itched to message his twin, wanting to warn Wilbur, but when he checked his communicator, Wilbur had already sent a few pictures of Theseus laying on the bed, sleeping and the visible knots across his spine massaged out by Wilbur's hands. His face was still splotchy and red, little flecks of glowing gold under his eyes as Wilbur's power was still in effect. He looked at peace.

Techno pocketed his communicator and let himself in to Schlatt's castle.

\---

"Techno's coming over," Ranboo's voice was quiet. Tubbo was laying on the floor, head in Ranboo's lap as the taller god brushed out the tangles in Tubbo's hair. Somehow the kid always managed to wake up with bedheads of the century. Quackity passed him a new comb as one of the needles on Ranboo's current one broke. "He gave Tommy a panic attack. I think he needs some cheering up."

"Yeah, the hen told me." Schlatt grinned as Tubbo giggled at his joke, hands rubbing at his eyes sleepily. Schlatt had already tried to overwrite Wilbur's magic- and on that note, he was absolutely pissed. Fine, whatever, Wilbur could do whatever he fucking wanted with his own godling. Schlatt drew the goddamn line at doing it to Tubbo.

"That's not very nice, I think Phil's more of a rooster, personally." Quackity sat on Schlatt's other side, their Bond humming steadily between them. They didn't spend a lot of time in it- not like Tommy and Tubbo did. Tubbo would be staring at the ceiling for hours, eyes glazed over as he fell into the Bond. Schlatt wasn't sure why the kids were pulled together so strongly. It'd just make arguments worse, anyway. He huffed irritably and blocked his side of the Bond from Quackity.

"There are better ways to call Phil a cock." Schlatt rolled his eyes at Quackity, who just huffed out a laugh and moved further away. They sorta did their own thing- Schlatt was comfortable and so was Quackity. Neither of them particularly wanted each other in their heads all the time- it would just cause arguments when Schlatt dealt out a punishment Quackity thought was too harsh, or Quackity was too lenient on someone who absolutely deserved worse. Just made maintaining their balance easier when they had separation.

"I'm not-" Quackity threw his hands in the air, stilling as a flash of pink hit Schlatt's peripherals.

"Who's calling Phil a cock?" the glint in Technoblade's eyes was much funnier when Quackity shrunk away. Schlatt stifled a grin, raising an eyebrow at the object of his Bond's terror. About hmm- four thousand years ago, give or take? - Quackity had grown tired of Technoblade dealing out death to every mortal he came across in wars. They'd fought, Quackity had gotten his ass whooped and had been forced to regrow most of his teeth. Technoblade had renamed his favourite pickaxe Toothpick.

The irony was not lost on Schlatt.

"N-no one, no one Technoblade, nobody is calling Phil a cock. I-in fact, I was just about to go check if the oven was on fire, can't leave it on for too long if you know what I'm saying!" with a nervous puff of laughter, Quackity bolted out of the room. He wasn't even heading in the direction of the kitchens, but Schlatt wasn't about to tell Technoblade that.

"Hey, Techno," Ranboo greeted. He had tossed the old comb and Schlatt quickly threw the useless thing out the window. They'd had combs forged of goddamn netherite and Tubbo's hair had still managed to break them. "Phil said you were upset."

"...I told Theseus that Wilbur deserved to be punished. He-he looked like I was going to hurt him." Technoblade sat down on the floor, ignoring Tubbo's presence. The little godling's face scrunched up, fingers scrabbling at the carpet.

"Oh, is that what that was? Tommy's panic was what woke me up- I was gonna run over but then I felt Wilbur grab him, so I thought everything was fine." Tubbo said, blinking up at Technoblade. The god of war hummed, hunching in on himself.

Ah.

_Feelings_.

Schlatt excused himself, quietly muttering about needing to check on that oven fire and walking - not running - walking, towards where Quackity had vanished.

By the time he'd found his Bondmate, he was out of breath. Quackity had rushed out to the barn and was perched on a tall rafter. Schlatt jumped up next to him, the silence only broken but the muted buzzs from the bees underneath them.

_You too?_ Quackity asked, staring down at the enormous bees under them. They'd been a gift for Tubbo - he was determined to have Tommy over when the other godling was feeling better, and show him his little bee farm.

_Feelings_. Schlatt's responses were always curt, but Quackity nodded anyway. Like he understood _. I need a drink._

Quackity huffed, breath coming out in a wheezing laugh. _Fuck man, me too. Wine? Whiskey?_

_Whiskey would be great right now._

_I'll go get some._ Quackity hopped off the ledge, hurrying out into their alcohol cellar. When he'd returned, Schlatt had stripped off his outer jacket and was leaning against the slanted roof, legs slowly going numb with the press of the ledge.

They clinked the bottles together and Schlatt enjoyed the burn down his throat.

They'd have to clean this up before they left, or Tubbo was going to kill them.

Fuckin' kid.

Schlatt grinned as he raised the bottle to his lips again.

He'd do anything for him.

\---

Dream whirled around the Vault. He needed to be prepared - these gods had magic that he didn't, so he'd need to combat them in other ways.

Traps and the like, his specialty. It was too bad he couldn't use Tommy. The kid had at least one of the gods hovering over him every time he slept. Dream wasn't dumb enough to just _leave_ Tommy by himself during his weeks of abscences.

He'd slipped a little crystal into the base of Tommy's head. Small enough it wouldn't be noticed. He did it young enough that Tommy wouldn't remember.

He'd tested it on his world's Ranboo- the kid called it an "enderwalk". Same deal, anyway. But Tommy couldn't set up traps for him if he was being watched constantly.

Those wings of his were also an… interesting development. Privately, Dream thought that they quite suited his brother. Tommy would always be a free spirit, it was just in his nature, and Dream wondered what the feathers would look like.

What kind of magic they'd contain.

The wings were linked to the oldest one - Philza's - Blessing and Dream had seen how the pain raced down Tommy's spine when they'd sprouted. It'd been a bloody, gritty mess, but Dream was sure he could take care of it.

He enchanted his armor, his weapons, using more of Tommy's blood that he would have liked. No matter, he didn't have the resources to try again, he supposed. Not until he had Tommy back.

He could, theoretically, give Tommy to the gods when he'd killed the dragon and the egg. Or.

Or-

Dream remembered how people had screamed as their homes burned from Philza's wrath, how worlds of existence had just blinked out of nowhere in an instant.

He was going to kill the dragon and have a fucking omlette out of that egg.

Then he was going to destroy the gods, one by one.

Dream grinned at his little ball, showing Tommy's sleeping form with the gold one - Wilbur - petting his hair.

Go for the weakest link first.

Dream sharpened his axe blade. He couldn't wait to put it through Wilbur's skull.

\---

HEY THERE WAS MORE FANART AND AHHHHH IT'S ALSO SO GOOD

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLmkeWolR_f/?igshid=16heannbq8f7h

^GO FOLLOW @j00e.m ON INSTAGRAM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have like 8 assignments due and I'm working on this instead


	18. Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People were very upset with Dream last update.
> 
> I wonder how upset you'll be this update?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

Ranboo floated. At least, it felt like floating. When cradled by the shadows, it almost felt cool - but soothing, like he had enough cold power to rip things apart. Every piece of the world covered in some kind of shadow was his domain. He’d always considered himself almost invincible in that way, that he could always escape. Find help. He could always  _ leave _ .

These weren’t his shadows and Ranboo groaned, opening his eyes.

He was laying on the ground, grey powder all over his fingers. His head whipped around, multi colored eyes narrowing as he looked around the room. He’d been-

He’d been-

_ “So you accidentally triggered a panic attack from Tommy?” _

_ “Yeah.” _

_ “What was it about?” _

_ “I said Wilbur deserved to be punished. He- Theseus looked like I was going to hurt him. Like I was that other  _ **_bastard_ ** _. He really thought that I would-” _

_ “But you wouldn’t. And he knows that.” _

_ “He flinched away from me!” _

Ranboo felt like his head was full of cotton.

_ “Mortal brains are easily manipulated. Sometimes they see things that aren’t really there. Think of nightmares - Tubbo has nightmares often, where he wakes up yelling and crying at some fear that isn’t there, and that isn’t applicable considering that we would chase anything else away. He still is afraid, and we still must comfort him, and sometimes he flinches from me, too, because his mind tricks his eyes to see his fear instead of his family-” _

He got up from the floor, watching the trail of powder, staining all the way up to his elbows, follow further into the room. He was- underground? Ranboo didn’t spend much time in the sewer system Schlatt had insisted they build.

_ “-and he confuses reality from fiction.” _

_ “ _ **_Mortals are not the only ones. You gods have such a superior complex; it’s disgusting. You think you’re so mighty._ ** _ ” _

_ “...Technoblade?” _

Ranboo heard the hiss of explosives just a moment before Dream’s gates opened. The god stumbled out, wide eyed and horrified. Ranboo had just one moment to observe the gold line tracing down Dream’s mask, cracks in the porcelain. He was about the ask what the hell happened when-

“ **_You’ll destroy yourselves for me._ ** _ ” _

-the explosives went off.

Ranboo was flung backwards, Dream quickly vanishing through another portal. Flames licked at his skin and he could smell his hair burning, the layers of barrier between himself and the flames growing blacker and darker, flaking off in horrid chunks.

His head smashed against a wall, fingers twitching and covered in gunpowder he  _ couldn’t remember getting on him _ . He was talking to Techno- he was talking to-

Techno looming over him, a green crystal in his hand.

His eyes had been green.

Ranboo’s memory went black after that.

He wheezed on the ground as Dream reappeared, grabbing him by the chin. The other god looked absolutely furious and Ranboo couldn’t help the anxiety spike through his stomach. Did he- did he-

“Stay still.” Dream said. Ranboo read his lips, his ears ringing hard from the blast. He would heal, this wouldn’t keep him down forever, but it was enough to distract him. Enough to distract everyone in the fucking castle. To keep Quackity and Schlatt down protecting Tubbo. To call Phil. What was left, what was-

Dream dug his hands into Ranboo’s forehead and he whined as the skin broke, something that was  _ not part of his fucking head  _ being pulled out of his forehead. There was a little clink, Ranboo’s hearing clearing as he watched a tiny green crystal drop onto the ground, covered in Ranboo’s blood. It glowed, a poisonous green until Dream stepped on it, the crystal shattering under his heel. Ranboo’s eyes flew upwards as Dream shook with something Ranboo could only call  _ rage _ .

“He-” Ranboo couldn’t see Dream’s face. He wasn’t sure he wanted to. “The  _ other _ Dream, the one that kidnapped Tommy- somehow he got ahold of Technoblade’s mind with one of those fucking crystals. It was buried in his head where apparently the bastard carved Techno’s head open. He cornered you, and got you. No one even  _ noticed _ until Quackity saw the explosives missing from the storage chamber.”

“Is Tubbo-” panic clawed at Ranboo’s throat. Tubbo had been in the room with him and Techno, Techno was perfectly capable of hurting him and Tubbo couldn’t hold him off for long. Ranboo had kept up with Tubbo’s training, but he’d barely graduated from wooden to stone swords, he couldn’t-

“Tubbo is fine. He warned Tommy, who told Wilbur, who sent Phil,” Dream grabbed Ranboo’s upper arm, ushering the god up. Ranboo stood, feeling his power  _ surge _ , the shadows screaming from beside him. “The other Dream is here. He’s here and he’s causing shit all over the place.”

They stepped through another one of Dream’s portals, and Ranboo stared in horror at the scene outside. Schlatt was being chased by rhino-esque creatures, waddling after him. Their tusks looked sharp as hell, and Ranboo could see gold-blooming hoofprint marks along Schlatt’s forehead. Every so often, Schlatt would snap his fingers, and the things would drop dead. Ranboo shuddered as a terrible green light glowed from their eyes, reanimating the monsters.

A trident slammed into one of their backs, followed by a blast of Quackity’s power. Apparently Mercy overruled whatever the fuck was going on with the creatures, because when it went down this time, it  _ stayed down _ . Quackity shouted something at Schlatt, who nodded and kept running while yelling taunts, and with a sick feeling, Ranboo realized that Schlatt was forced to act as  _ bait _ .

Gods. Being bait.

Ranboo’s head snapped over as Technoblade launched himself towards a group of strange creatures, grey skin barely holding their bones together, eyes rattling in strange directions, with a shrieking high-pitched cackle coming from split lips. Black blood bubbled and poured down their faces, staining their teeth. They threw bottles of liquids, dark reds and bloody purples, and Techno dodged, trying to get close enough to land a hit.

“What the  _ fuck  _ is going on?” Ranboo hissed. He skimmed the grounds for Tubbo, the pit in his stomach growing until he spotted the little figure perched up in one of the trees. He had an old club in his hands, wooden and splintering, and a little bat dove at him. Ranboo cried out, one hand outstretched, but his little godling smashed the club into the bat’s face, sending the creature spiraling down and disappearing in a poof of purple smoke.

“The other Dream came in. I’ve been tracking every entrance, every exit, somehow the fucker managed to bypass every single one of my detectors. He spawned a bunch of-of-” Dream waved a hand at the hordes of zombies trying to break down the main doors into Schlatt’s castle. They hadn’t seemed to have noticed the actual gods fighting in the woods yet. Ranboo gulped.  _ Yet. _ “Of whatever the fuck these are, and then he dipped! We think he’s heading towards Phil’s castle-”

A boom sounded overhead, and Ranboo ducked, dodging flying shrapnel. He pulled a shadow around himself and Dream, hardening the outer casing. Small pieces of metal bounced off, and when Dream lowered it, he could see George sitting on top of Sapnap, the god of fire blasting himself through the air with George hanging on. Ranboo watched as George grabbed a small little ball, holding it down for Sapnap to breathe on. The thing lit, and George chucked it towards the creatures Techno was fighting. Techno dove behind a rather large rock just as the bomb went off, sending the grey things flying everywhere, screaming out their disapproval.

Ranboo flexed his fingers, bringing his shadows up to where the creatures had fallen and sent spikes through all of their chests. He dove into the darkness, coming up beside Techno from the shadow of the rock. Techno looked like he’d been crying, his skull still bleeding gold as his body fought to keep him standing. Ranboo gave him a look, waving a hand. He could still see the gunpowder on his fingers, could still see the smoke rising from the left wing of Schlatt’s castle.

“Later,” Ranboo promised. He stepped forward, the full fury of the shadow god rising in him, the shadows pulling themselves away from their creators. His shadow whipped and snarled at the attempt on his power. At the attempt on his godling’s life. “We will atone later. Go to Theseus-” Ranboo saw from the corner of his eyes as it clicked for Techno. “I will handle things here.”

Techno nodded, throwing himself down the path and going faster than any mortal could hope to keep up with. Dream followed with a small gold  _ pop _ . He could only hope that they would get there in time.

Ranboo joined the fight, rolling up his sleeves and trying to ignore the gunpowder staining his forearms.

Something in the back of his mind screamed,  _ Ranboo has Joined the Game. _

\---

Tommy knew Wilbur was in the doorway. His head felt cold, missing from the warmth that Wilbur’s power had come with.

**_Tommy?_ ** it asked, and Tommy shuddered. He’d never rid himself of that voice. He’d never-

**_Tommy. I’m here._ ** it was a  _ mockery _ of what Wilbur had said minutes earlier, before the explosions had gone off in the distance, and Tubbo had screamed something about an ambush. Phil had raced off to Schlatt’s castle, leaving Wilbur.

Leaving Tommy.

**_They won’t be coming back. I’m the only one who cares about you._ ** the words, poison and stinging in his mind, wrapped around Tommy’s ears. He could almost feel the phantom pains of strings wrapping around his neck. Wilbur whipped around, and for a minute, Tommy lost himself in the glowing gold in Wilbur’s eyes. His lips moved; no sound came out. He tried to ask his big brother for help.

**_I’m your big brother._ ** Dream was annoyed, and an angry Dream meant a hurting Tommy. He closed his eyes and shook. The strings tightened.

**_I’m the only one who cares. None of them do. They’ll all leave you alone, at the end, I’m the only one who will-_ **

The strings snapped, the voice cutting off, and Wilbur was there. Eyes glowing, hands balled in  _ fury _ , and Tommy felt his arm move up, following some unspoken command, putting his palm over the base of his neck. Wilbur’s fingers followed, hands carefully searching.

Tommy’s neck poked, a sharp stinging pain.

Wilbur  _ snarled _ .

“You won’t beat me at my own game,” Wilbur sing-songed, and then, there was  _ pain  _ in Tommy’s head. He shuddered, wings snapping through the slings as Tommy tried to twist away from the nails in his neck. He could feel the skin shifting, feel Wilbur’s fingers brush away a vein, and then something was getting pulled out of his neck.

There was a hush of apologies, a little clink on the floor, and Tommy could feel his blood drip down his neck.

Sorry.

They were always sorry.

Maybe if Tommy wasn’t so bad, maybe if he was better-

The cold disappeared, followed by Wilbur’s warmth. His brother’s words washed over him, keeping him still, no matter how much Tommy wanted to scream and cry and curl into a ball and demand a hug. Maybe this was why Techno had said what Wilbur did was bad. Maybe this was why. Tommy wanted a hug.

Liquid poured over his neck, the wound healing as the potion took over. Wilbur’s magic vanished, but the warmth in the back of Tommy’s head stayed.

Before he could even ask, Wilbur was wrapping his arms around Tommy. His eyes widened, his mouth opened-

He choked on the words in his throat when the door slammed open, an axe blade buried into Wilbur’s head with a sickening  _ thunk _ . It was wet, and Wilbur slumped onto the floor. Something hysterical in Tommy reminded him of the first time he’d properly seen Techno.

Tommy couldn’t move. His wings beat, once - twice? - and he shrieked, throat retearing itself as the delicate membranes were forced to vibrate too hard with the force of Tommy’s pain. There were hushed whispers above his head,  _ in the one voice he didn’t want _ , and the lip of a bottle at his mouth. It was tilted, Tommy’s nose pinched by hands that had bruised his face-

Tommy swallowed, his vision blurring out. He should have known.

The mask smiled down at him, Dream’s pleased green eyes staring down at him.

He should have known.

Tommy relaxed, falling forward, and his eyes slid shut. He felt like he was going to vomit, the world spinning around him.

  
He was never going to be safe anywhere. Not with Dream  _ alive _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (:


	19. Soot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur loves the taste of ash.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YO WHAT'S UP
> 
> It's been like 3 days!! Apologies for that, reading week for my college starts on Monday so pretty much all my assignments were due within like, the same 3 days. I've been workin away so I wasn't able to update. But!! Here is an update, the longest one on record!
> 
> Hope you enjoy it :D

Those monster shits were real fucking annoying. They kept reviving themselves, little green crystals embedded throughout their body keeping them awake. Clearly, the magic was a kind of curse, because Quackity's powers were enough to lift it and allow the monsters to finally die.

Judging by how peaceful they looked as they drifted off, Schlatt had a feeling that they weren't always monsters.

He made a mental note to send all their souls - or what was left of them, anyway - off to paradise when this mess was cleaned up.

"Tubbo?" Quackity's voice was a little fainter. The god, like Philza, had wings, although his weren't attached to his back. They still let him fly though, and he used them to soar up to where their godling was perched in a tree. Schlatt had to admit that putting Tubbo in a tree maybe wasn't the best plan he'd ever had, but there were eggs hatching monsters everywhere, and he panicked. The kid had grabbed a club though. Schlatt was proud.

When they got out of this, he was going to tell him.

Quackity gently flew down, carrying a furious looking Tubbo. Schlatt raised an eyebrow, opening his mouth to ask, when Tubbo all but threw himself on the ground and started off straight to Phil's castle.

"Something's wrong," Schlatt hurried to catch up, grabbing his godling and slinging Tubbo into his arms. It was faster this way. Had nothing to do with the fear that had clawed up his throat when he'd realized that monsters he couldn't kill were within range of Tubbo- ah shit, Tubbo was talking. Right. "Tommy went unconscious. Something weird was in his head, it felt… gross. Wrong. Wilbur fought it and it vanished, but then Wilbur's presence also vanished, and then Tommy went unconscious. He was scared." Tubbo's mouth was set in a hard line.

"Is he still in this world?" Schlatt asked. Quackity quickly flew off, heading for the castle. Ranboo could hold things at their home - after all, the worst that could happen would be that they'd have to rebuild. Lives couldn't be rebuilt.

Schlatt held Tubbo tighter.

"No," Tubbo finally answered, after a moment's pause. "He's disconnected. We need to find Dream." Schlatt nodded briskly, leaping up the stairs four at a time into Phil's castle.

It wasn't pretty.

Every banner had been cut, every painting ripped. Cracks formed along the walls, pebbles and dust from the broken pillars and stone carding across the floor like an entire pack of mice.

And it was far, far too quiet.

Tubbo noticed the blood first. Golden ichor seeping through the open doorway, the one room at the southmost tower, high up. It was Tommy's room, always meant to be his room, high enough so Philza could renovate it to make it more comfortable for someone with wings and a birdbrain.

There wasn't anyone there.

There was blood, certainly- a lot of it. Splashed potion contents, and all Quackity had to do was smell it before quietly declaring it a powerful sleeping potion. And last, a shattered green crystal crushed into the rug.

Schlatt's mind was whirling. A god had gotten injured, not Tommy. Tommy's blood was still red, still mortal. And last Schlatt checked, the only two gods in the vicinity were Philza and Wilbur.

Something spiked at his chest and Schlatt was reminded of all the nights getting far too drunk with Wilbur, always ending in the other sobbing into Schlatt's shoulder.

_ It was all my fault _ , Wilbur would cry.  _ I would do anything to have him back. _

Schlatt had an idea of what exactly that everything entailed, now.

He stepped out of the room, one hand between Tubbo's shoulders as the godling led their merry little band back down the spiral staircase. He stopped, somewhere on the thirty seventh step, nuding the third stone from the top with his knee.

The wall shook as a door opened. Schlatt huffed, his ears flicking in annoyance as awe sparked from Quackity's stupid ass.

"When we rebuild the castle," Schlatt was going to punt Quackity into the sun if he didn't fucking focus. " _ I want a secret tunnel. _ "

"You can dream about a secret tunnel when Tommy's not with his abuser." Tubbo turned around, eyes hard, and Quackity very quickly backed down. Schlatt tried to stifle his chuckle, sending his amusement and pride through the Bond.  _ He'd _ taught Tubbo how to do that.

Ahh, the joys of parenthood.

They stepped down the tunnel, following the scent of moss and the gradually increasing murmur of voices. It was dark, damp - lichen grew in stone grooves, searching for any piece of sunlight to soak up. Sometimes, Schlatt felt like that; grasping in the dark and coming up with nothing. His hand reached out to brush the moss, instead coming in contact with a skinny chest.

Ranboo’s shadows merged to show the god. His jaw had unhinged, scraps of flesh holding his lower set of teeth to his mouth, his eyes hard. Schlatt decided not to comment on the fury rolling off the younger god, instead following Tubbo to continue on. They were all extremely pissed, but Schlatt was going to save his anger for when it was most useful - when he had the soul of this other Dream in his palm, when even Quackity’s mercy would run out.

Ranboo wasn’t like any of them, either. He was accidental - created by stupid humans messing in places they shouldn’t have been. They demanded that there was a space in the realm of gods, asked for someone to worship, and  _ somehow _ managed to fucking create one. It killed all of them, sure, but it left Ranboo half sewn together, a mockery of the half-light half-dark he was supposed to be. Instead, Schlatt had found him in the realm of the dead, his godly soul flickering under the onslaught of his creation, half dead and half alive. Schlatt had stoked Ranboo’s flickering candle back to a roaring flame and invited the god back to their world. He’d stayed, then, even with his budding friendship with Technoblade and the offer of a place at Phil’s side- Ranboo had stayed and Schlatt ruffled his hair, avoiding his friend’s eyes. Ranboo disliked eye contact when he got like this and Schlatt didn’t blame him one bit. Didn’t cost him anything to not be a dick.

“Tommy is gone.” Ranboo’s voice was echoey, his speech followed by bursts of the ancient language he’d been summoned with. It had a real creepy affect to it, and if Ranboo weren’t on their side, Schlatt might’ve been intimidated by it. “I went to his room.”

“So did we.” Tubbo’s voice was short, clipped. Schlatt lightly flicked the back of his head, a disapproving glare on his face. Philza was still teaching him how to reel in his charges with a single look, but it was enough for the generally well-behaved Tubbo to mutter a short sorry at Ranboo.  _ Don’t be rude, _ Schlatt thought, raising an eyebrow.  _ He’s just as worried as you. _

“Tubbo can track him. Once we find Dream, we can head into that new dimension and wreck some more shit. And this time, make sure he’s dead,” Quackity’s palm brushed the back of Tubbo’s head, fingers massaging lightly. Tubbo’s shoulders dropped.  _ He has a headache, _ Quackity called through the Bond.  _ Stress induced. _ Schlatt hummed, closing his eyes and focusing on his Blessing.

He and Philza, for their godlings, were the primary caregivers. It was why Tubbo looked like Schlatt and why Tommy looked like Philza. Because of that, their Blessings manifested physically - they granted the godlings powers, of course, but they needed to share most physical similarities. Schlatt took a breath, sucking the pain from Tubbo’s head and blinking away the migraine in his own mind. Tubbo whirled around, staring him down, and Schlatt just shrugged. Tubbo had more headaches since his horns had come in - Tommy would likely have more muscle soreness - and Schlatt and Philza could take the pain away after the physical Blessings had grown in. Tubbo took a deep breath.

“You don’t have to-” he started, but Schlatt waved his concerns away.

“You need to have your wits about you to track Tommy,” he shrugged. “I’m a god, kid, I can handle a little headache.” Tubbo opened his mouth like he wanted to protest, but Ranboo just planted a hand between his shoulder blades and pushed their godling to keep moving.

They came into a larger room. Schlatt looked around - it sorta looked like an offshoot of Philza’s dungeons. Well, Philza liked to call them dungeons, but more accurately, they were time-out corners for Wilbur and Techno. Mostly Wilbur.

It was covered in enchantments, glowing purples and reds along the walls. Dream, Philza, and Techno were all huddled around a table, speaking with hushed yells. Dream was holding a little green crystal in his hands, his mask off and eyes glowing as he read the magic in it. Techno looked up as they entered, Philza’s mouth thinning. Dream didn’t even so much as glance at them.

“How are things outside?” Philza asked. His hands were twitching and Schlatt heard the crack of thunder outside.

“Most of the monsters have been disposed of,” Ranboo said. His voice was flat and Techno looked back down at the table. “There’s a lot of rubble. We’ll have to rebuild, but for now, there are no injuries. Sapnap and George are still throwing explosives, there are a bunch of hordes of zombies and skeletons and they won’t stop coming. Last I was out there, they were trying to find the source.”

“Good,” Philza nodded, glancing over at their resident dimension hopper. “Dream?”

“It’s a cut emerald, the points are all where the magic is most concentrated,” Dream ran a finger over the crystal in his hands. He was shaking. “It’s embedded with Tommy’s magic, and there’s some of his  _ blood  _ in the middle of it. The blood is the power source, but smashing the crystal destroys them just as well.”

“You mean to tell me that-that  _ bastard _ has been taking my son’s blood to use in-” Philza looked like he was going to be sick.

“Yeah,” Dream looked up, briefly, and Schlatt moved his eyes away from the god’s face. Dream didn’t like people seeing him without the mask, and once again, Schlatt wasn’t going to needlessly be an asshole. “I think I know what kind of god Tommy’s going to be after this. Everything that’s been happening was a side effect of his powers. The other Dream basically forced his will into Tommy’s blood - the latent magic in it needs something to listen to, and when disconnected from the source, it will act on any orders given to it. It was able to do the mind control shit because of Wilbur’s Blessing and it made those monster shits so hard to fucking kill because of Techno’s. I don’t think your Blessing has come into play yet-” Dream looked up at Philza. “But I’d be prepared for it to anyway. I’ve already told George, he’s handling it.”

“Where  _ is _ Wilbur, anyway?” Schlatt asked. He drummed his fingers against his arm as all the attention in the room turned to him. “I mean, we found a puddle of god blood in Tommy’s room. Considering that nobody here seems injured, I would assume it’s Wilbur’s. We haven’t run into him yet. I expected him to be here, honestly.”

“...Wilbur’s missing?” the table cracked under Techno’s grip. “We thought he went outside to fight with the rest of you!” Dream paused, mouth open as he searched through his Bond.

“George and Sapnap both haven’t seen him.” hesitantly, Dream offered all the information he had up.

“Ranboo, can you find his shadow?” Quackity turned to the other god, who nodded. Ranboo closed his eyes, his brow furrowing the longer he searched. The silence stretched on and something in Schlatt wanted to laugh his ass off.

“Oh  _ gods _ , he isn’t fucking here,” Schlatt raised a hand to his hair, grin blooming on his face as laughing bubbled up his chest. “He isn’t- he must have faked being injured. He’s totally with Tommy.”

“He’s-” Philza looked distinctly ill now.

“Wilbur  _ loves _ bad ideas.” Schlatt wheezed out.

He wasn’t sure how much he liked this idea - at the bare minimum, they knew they could track Tommy down and rescue him. This other Dream needed Tommy alive and very much  _ not dead _ , so they didn’t really have to worry about him being too injured. Maybe mentally scarred, but they could fix that.

But Wilbur- this other Dream likely wanted Wilbur’s head on a spike.

Schlatt was going to throw that idiot out a window the  _ second _ he got his hands on him.

Wilbur had had a lot of bad ideas - flooding islands with increasing water levels or increasing lava levels, throwing a bunch of poor souls into the same place and seeing who could fall and  _ not die _ the most - but this had to take the cake, of Wilbur’s absolute worst idea ever-

\---

-this was Wilbur’s absolute best idea  _ ever _ . He’d been tied up with ropes -  _ normal ropes _ \- there weren’t even any enchantments fizzling on the things. There were no power dampeners. Wilbur kept his eyes closed, breathing steady, and he didn’t flinch, even when a hand struck his face to see if he really was awake.

He could keep an eye on Tommy like this, let his brother hide behind him as he razed their kidnapper.

Wilbur was a god and also the best big brother ever, he was going to stand there all mighty and godly, and Tommy was gonna hide behind him and bury his face in Wilbur’s back, and Wilbur was gonna wrap his baby brother in his cape and tell him he was safe, and Tommy was gonna call him  _ Wilby _ again and Wilbur would officially surpass Techno as the favourite brother. His plan was absolutely foolproof.

He just had to deal with this other Dream fellow first. Wilbur’s mind worked as he sussed out exactly where he was. The sound of the slap from earlier hadn’t echoed - an enclosed space. He had landed on something metal when the other Dream had pulled him up to smack him, although it hadn’t had an edge. Wilbur could work with it. This man really was a fool if he thought he could up against a family of gods and win.

Techno’s hidden aspect was protection. He acted as a shield, as a sword, for the people he loved. He hid it for fear of being used as nothing more than a weapon, and even if he hadn’t directly told them, Wilbur and Phil knew it all too well.

Wilbur’s was madness.

He let a sick grin cover his face, knowing he was alone. Wilbur stood, the ropes around him slicing cleanly as he stood. The wound at the back of his head had long since healed, but Wilbur had kept up the illusion of it being there regardless. No sense giving the enemy any time to prepare for Wilbur’s countassault.

He felt almost casual, strolling through the halls of blackstone and obsidian, idly raising an eyebrow at the pools of lava. To be frank, it seemed this other Dream must have been compensating for something, alright. Wilbur put his hands behind his back, his posture straight, an amused smile playing at his lips. Schlatt was going to be  _ furious _ when he found out, but he’d just be mad cause he didn’t think of doing it first.

Wilbur followed the rather obvious trail of glowstone, peering into rooms as he walked. There were several different cells, in varying stages. Some held chains, some held padded walls, some had syringes and different bottles. Wilbur rolled his eyes, carrying on until he opened an iron door, stepping into a store room of sorts.

His gaze widened, jaw dropping, and a fire of his fury lit at his heels. He could feel it licking at his veins, voices in the back of his head  _ begging _ for him to let loose.

There were rows and rows of golden-flecked blood, all in little vials. A workbench of crystals, of glowing enchantment books. He’d start with this, then.

Wilbur raised his hand, a soft high-pitched noise growing and  _ growing _ until the glass cracked and shattered. Shards flew through the hair, ricocheting against Wilbur’s sound. They bounced off the walls and blood flooded the room, pooling at Wilbur’s feet. He glanced down at it, watching some of the flecks shine and vanish. The blood would stay, but the magic housed in it would be lost.

Wilbur took his time with what had clearly been Dream’s life work, ripping out pages before burning them, smashing every crystal he could find, breaking every little piece of glass.

When he left, his hands stained mortal’s red and the smell of iron and smoke burning his nose, he could say he was much more calm. Far from satisfied.

He left a trail of bloody footprints behind him as he walked, brushing his cheek and smudging his brother’s blood on his face. He would find Dream, he would find him and make him  _ pay it back tenfold. _

_ Blood blood blood blood b _ **_lood_ **

The voices chanted.

_ Blood for the Songbird, bleed for the Songbird, kill the Impostor for the Songbird- _

Wilbur smiled.

“Soon,” he whispered, opening a final door. The other Dream startled as Wilbur stepped into the room, eyes glowing gold and burning  _ madness _ . Wilbur’s target had unwrapped Tommy’s wings, had one of the delicate appendages in his hands. He was staring to where a little feather had started poking through, the beginnings of the hatchling down that would form before Tommy’s flight feathers could come in.

It was white and terribly fluffy.

Wilbur’s blood boiled at the same pile of down beside his target. He’d been ripping out the first traces of Tommy’s feathers-

_ A downed Songbird is a dead Songbird- _

One of the voices cried and Wilbur’s vision went red.

_ Blood blood blood blood blood- _

Wilbur planted a fist into the other Dream’s face, smiling in sick satisfaction when the man’s nose cracked. He flung backwards, grabbing for purchase on the bed he’d laid Tommy on, and Wilbur let him fall. He sprawled on the floor, grabbing a sword and drawing the long blade, and Wilbur merely raised an eyebrow at it. He was a god-

“-and you are nothing.” Wilbur finished, out loud. The voices cooed in his head, some still calling for the blood of this Dream to paint the walls, but- Wilbur carded his hand through Tommy’s hair, magic spiking under his fingertips. He scratched the callouses against Tommy’s scalp, watching as his brother relaxed, even in sleep.

Wilbur’s grin was wicked when the other Dream finally found his voice.

“You had a  _ hole _ in you skull not even four minutes ago, how are you-”

“I’m a god. You’re human,” Wilbur moved his hand back as Dream swiped the sword, coming to his feet. “I’m not entirely sure why you ever thought you could go against us.”

Dream moved to fling himself at Wilbur, but with a snap of his fingers and a bellow from the poor victim, his eardrums were shattered.

Wilbur cooed down at his baby brother, a little bubble that protected him from Wilbur’s powers surrounding him. He let a hand slip down again, blood staining Tommy’s golden locks.

“It’s okay Bubba,” Wilbur whispered, eyes bright with insanity. “Big brother Wilby’s here.”

Dream launched at him again. His sword form was pretty good, Wilbur had to admit, but he was disoriented and dizzy from his eardrums breaking. Maybe Techno would have had more fun with him, but Wilbur wasn’t here to play. He caught the blade of the sword on one of his golden bands, slipping a dagger out from a sheath on his thigh. 

The blade of Wilbur’s little gold encrusted dagger slit Dream’s throat. His target gagged, choking on his own blood, and Wilbur watched him go down.

With a little  _ poof _ , the man vanished. Wilbur merely raised an eyebrow, staring out the door. Techno said he’d killed him once - they’d never confirmed if Tommy had killed him when he’d called for Wilbur’s Blessing - so Wilbur could assume that was his second life.

_Life always comes in threes,_ Wilbur’s voices giggled. _Stay with the Songbird,_ ** _Kill_** _za and Techno_ ** _support_** _are coming._ He settled onto the bed, kissing Tommy’s forehead. It tasted like iron, Wilbur’s hands smudging blood all over little Tommy’s face.

_ Blood for the Songbird. _ They whispered.

He was safe now. Wilbur would stay.

The madness hushed, falling away like low tide from the sea. Wilbur blinked, magic fading from his hands. He pulled Tommy closer to his lap, privately musing that it was rather a good thing that Tommy hadn’t woken up to see that mess. Wilbur shuffled them so his body was blocking the pool of blood that had once been Dream, finding the delicate strings of the sleeping magic and ripping it apart.

Tommy’s eyes blinked open, wide and in panic, and Wilbur hushed him.

“Big brother Wilby is here,” he repeated. “You’re safe.”

“I’m-” Tommy’s eyes flashed around the room. “Wilby?” his voice was so damn small, and Wilbur’s cold heart cracked. He nodded, grabbing the bandages from the bed and humming as he rewrapped Tommy’s wings. He left most of the wings free, knowing now that the down was poking through - but kept the slings on. The wings were still far too painful to move, after all. Tommy wasn’t ready.

“How do you feel, Bubba?” Wilbur paused, remembering Schlatt’s how-to-care-for-a-godling lecture. “Can I call you Bubba? I am sorry I did not ask first.” Wilbur peered down at Tommy. He waited for an answer, but his brother only huffed and buried his face in Wilbur’s shirt. He hummed, suddenly nervous, hands gently scratching at Tommy’s scalp.

“Sure,” Tommy whispered after a silence that felt like forever. “I’m feeling okay. My back still hurts, but it’s more achy than stabby. My wings itch like hell though.” Tommy stuck his tongue out and Wilbur laughed, curling in on his brother.

“Your down is starting to come in. Some of it- fell out earlier,” Wilbur hummed, choosing his words carefully. “Do you want to see?” at Tommy’s nod, Wilbur brought a handful of the white fluff closer to his baby brother. Tommy stared it down, reaching a little hand out and petting it.

“It’s so soft.” his brother marvelled and Wilbur placed another careful kiss on Tommy’s forehead.

“It is,” Wilbur smiled. “All down is.” an explosion sounded out in the hallway and Tommy jerked, wings almost trying to flap as he panicked. Wilbur hushed him, Tommy using Wilbur’s voice to ground himself from the fear. Wilbur was pretty damn sure if the others walked in to him using his powers on Tommy again, he’d really be in shit.

“Looks like the others are here,” Wilbur mused quietly. He gathered Tommy up into his arms, holding Tommy’s thighs and balancing the rest of him against his chest. It was more comfortable for his wings like this, even if Tommy was embarrassed. Wilbur’s baby brother let out a soft noise, and even if Wilbur could feel the heat from Tommy’s cheeks, his arms still rose to wrap around Wilbur’s neck. He cooed, couldn’t help himself, chuckling lowly as the shadows gathered and Ranboo popped out.

The god looked quite frazzled, if Wilbur did say so himself.

“Hello, Ranboo. Time to go home, them?” Wilbur rubbed a hand up and down Tommy’s back, letting his little brother relax into him. He brushed his fingers over the too-tense muscles in Tommy’s back, making a mental note to massage them out when they got home.

“Yeah,” Ranboo’s voice was deep, scratchy, and Wilbur could see how the god’s hands twitched. Another explosion sounded. “Is he okay?”

“He’s fine,” Wilbur waved a hand. “I killed the other Dream again. He should only have one life left, now.” Ranboo nodded at the words, a hard look in his eyes. “Go join the fight-” Wilbur raised his free hand as Ranboo opened his mouth, ready to protest. “I know you’re itching to get your own revenge in. Just tell me where the portal is.”

“We opened it in that trashed room. The one with blood all over the floor.” Ranboo gave him a withering glare and Wilbur let the sick grin fall on his face again. The god in front of him stuttered, falling back as the full brunt of Wilbur’s madness hit. It prickled at the edges of Ranboo’s mind, and while Wilbur supposed he  _ could _ let Ranboo fall into it, his twin liked the god too much for that. Wilbur reeled it in, flicking his hair away from his face.

“We’ll manage.” Wilbur chuckled out, stepping off towards the room he’d ruined. It wasn’t far - how cocky did this other Dream have to be to not separate them further? Honestly. “Let’s go, Bubba. Back home. I’ll rub your muscles out and sing you a song, if you’d like.”

“I’m hungry,” Tommy’s voice was quiet and he rested his head in the crook of Wilbur’s neck. “But yes, I’d like a song please.”

“Of course, you can have anything you want.”

“Ice cream?”

“Ice cream-” Wilbur wheezed. “You can have ice cream  _ after _ you eat some real food.”

“...can you make mac n cheese?”

“Yes,” Tommy huffed at Wilbur’s agreement, burrowing further into his brother’s neck. Wilbur spotted the room, grinning at how wrecked the door was. He stepped through, spotting the portal and stepping through. “Let’s head home.”

“Home,” Tommy repeated. “Yeah.”

They stepped through.

Wilbur didn’t mind not getting the final hit on Dream. He really didn’t. He’d said his piece, ruined any magic Dream could have accumulated, and saved his little brother. He was satisfied.

He would leave the rest to their family.

\---

Techno was furious, flinging himself through the portal as a god possessed. He couldn’t  _ describe _ his fury, how he wanted to take the world and rip it to pieces. He took off down the hallways, Ranboo vanishing into a pile of shadows on the floor. There were pools of blood on the floor, soaking into his boots. The scent of iron was  _ everywhere _ , but Techno could recognize the passing flows of Wilbur’s magic anywhere he went.

Schlatt raised his hand and Techno caught the tail end of a bloodthirsty grin before Schlatt started chanting-

“ _ Empty vessels- _ ”

Techno heard a clatter, Phil on his heels.

“ _ Of soul and ash- _ ”

He flung the door open.

“ _ Rise from your graves- _ ” 

Tubbo had somehow snuck out of the room before anyone. It made sense, the kid was the first through the portal, after all. He was holding a glowing purple axe, facing down the other Dream, who had clearly just finished armoring himself.

“ _ Destroy this place- _ ” 

The familiar bolt of Schlatt’s magic broke through the walls of this strange prison they were stuck in, dark purple smoke filling the hallways, followed by the tormented shrieks of Schlatt’s favourite little pets.

“ _ Do my bidding. _ ” 

The withers spawned and Dream launched. Techno stepped forward first, taking the blow on the handle of his axe, shielding Tubbo from it. The kid fell into a simple, but steady stance, catching the blade of his axe along the other Dream’s stomach.

“You don’t understand!” the man shrieked, teeth spitting blood. His eyes were wild, and somehow, Techno knew that if he killed him now, this would be  _ it _ . “You don’t-”

“The dragon, the egg. Yes, yes, we’re well aware of the threats they pose to other worlds. You really think they could do anything to us?” Phil asked, and Techno resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“You haven’t  _ fought them _ like I have-”

“I  _ have _ ,” Phil stepped forward and Techno let him, keeping a hand steady on Tubbo’s shoulder. Schlatt strolled into the room, Quackity beside him, as the Withers shrieked at their new life. Explosions shuddered along the halls, stone shattering under their onslaught. “I have fought both.  _ Both _ . They are agents of chaos and order - the dragon is chaos, the egg is order.”

“Dimensions expand endlessly,” their Dream raises an eyebrow, his mask solidly in place. “Something needs to clear them up.”

“Endlessly?” the other-Dream repeats. “You would call the destruction of entire  _ worlds _ -”

“We’re gods,” Techno throws his axe, catches it again. This Dream knows he’s outnumbered, knows he’s outmaneuvered - he still looks for a way out regardless. “Why would we  _ care _ ?”

As Techno’s axe goes up, other-Dream lunges forward. Techno knows he can take any blow, he will heal, that this  _ bastard  _ will not go farther than this-

He sees their Dream dance out of the way, sees Phil tense.

He does not see Tubbo bury his axe into other-Dream’s neck, taking his head off with one clean swing.

Quackity’s mouth falls open as Tubbo steps out from Techno’s cape, bloodied axe hanging from his hands.

“ _ You will never hurt my Bondmate again. _ ” Tubbo hisses, and his eyes glow pine  _ green _ for a single moment, power flickering under his hands. Schlatt lets out a breath, a whispered  _ that’s my boy _ and-

Tubbo kicks the headless body to the ground.

“Life always comes in threes,” Techno says, watching as Tubbo walks out of the room, walks with his head held high like he hadn’t just killed his first person.

“He’s going to be an amazing god,” Dream says. They watched as Schlatt followed, a little duckling on Tubbo’s tail. Quackity was still staring, godsmacked. “I think Schlatt just won that little bet of your’s, Quackity - you  _ owe  _ Schlatt now. Tubbo is much more punishment than mercy” Quackity’s head flicked between Dream and the open door before he was barreling through it, yelling that the bet was off, didn’t count, he was not giving up his favourite beanie. Schlatt’s cackles were his only answer.

“You know what they’ll be.” it wasn’t a question. Techno side-eyed Dream carefully as the man gleefully poked at the other-Dream’s dead body.

“I’ve always known. Puffy told me a few days after we got Tommy,” Dream admitted. Techno blinked - Puffy was technically the goddess of creation and the person who had found Dream when he and George spawned into existence. Techno was pretty damn sure she had a hand in Tommy and Tubbo’s appearances, but he had little proof to back up his theory. Every time he had asked, Puffy had just laughed and waved him off her star. “I’m not going to tell you. I think it’s pretty obvious, but I’ll keep it to myself.”

“Are they powerful?”

“...very.” Dream left the room and Techno followed silently.

“That was the first time Tubbo’s used his godly powers.” Techno mused. They left the room, heading back towards the portal. Schlatt’s withers passed them in the hallway, fireballs bursting from its mouth. Blackstone exploded from behind him.

“It was. Tubbo’s won’t come out unless he wants them to. Tommy’s will burst out at any opportunity, so keep an eye out.” Dream said, stepping around a few stray stones from a wall that had been crushed to nothing but rubble.

“I will.” they stepped through the portal.

\---

When the muses would sing of this battle, when the stories were written, they would tell of how Tubbo destroyed the last remains of a grand evil. How Schlatt rose his undead armies against the ground itself. How Dream destroyed an entire world to prove a point.

Niki ended up telling one of them that the other-Dream’s name was Clay.

_ Clay _ became a figure in myth, a tale of warning.  _ Do not cross the gods _ , quills scratching on paper.  _ They strike all down who believe themselves to be at their level. _

_ Where the godlings run- _

The swirling clouds on top of the mountain had never looked more unreachable to the little mortals scattered around the base of it.

_ The gods follow. _

From the very peak of the mountain, it snowed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'LL SEE YOU DUDE BROS MONDAY
> 
> Also I'm always up for a chat, so like
> 
> j.k_kat on Instagram if you wanna DM me ehehehe
> 
> The next art piece will be Ranboo, Quackity, Schlatt and Tubbo's family portrait!!


	20. Noodles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hullo hullo, new arc has startedddd with some good old fashioned Schlatt horror

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am hungry

Tommy relaxed into his chair, Wilbur’s favourite blanket thrown over his shoulders. Their castle hadn’t been touched much, but Tommy could still see the hoards of zombies milling around Schlatt’s grounds. For now, they were leaving it, apparently - and Tubbo was going to be staying here for the foreseeable future. Until they got Schlatt’s castle fixed, apparently.

He hummed around the spoon in his mouth, melting at the cheesy noodles. Wilbur had added broccoli - Tommy’s favourite vegetable - and the food was silky smooth, thick, and so warm as it slid down his throat. Tommy loved cheese and broccoli. His favourite food  _ ever _ . Wilbur was the best cook, Tommy decided. At least he could make something other than potatoes. Tubbo giggled around his own spoon at the idea, grinning maniacally towards Tommy as he ate his own mac n cheese.

Tommy’s mind was still a little fuzzy- Wilbur had taken Dream’s control and absolutely destroyed it, and then replaced it with his own. It was passive, Tommy wasn’t under completely, but it was keeping the pain from his wings away from his consciousness. He’d asked for it and Wilbur had easily granted it, warm honey strands wrapping his head and reminding Tommy of sitting in front of a fireplace. Warm and safe. Loved. It was a good feeling.

_ I took Dream’s last life, _ Tubbo sent through images of a headless Dream and Tommy’s spoon clattered out of his hand in surprise. His quickly picked it up, seeing Wilbur’s concerned eyes, and kept shovelling noodles in his face.  _ He won’t ever touch you again. You’re free. I watched him die, I know it happened. You can be safe now. _ Tubbo said, with finality, and Tommy could finally get a grip at the sheer rage that had been simmering under Tubbo’s surface.

_ You- _ Tommy felt his face split into the widest grin he’d had since coming here, relaxing into his chair. Tubbo had- it was over.  _ You are the biggest man ever. _ Tommy was terrible, the worst person ever, for being happy that Dream was dead. Dream was the only person who-

No, that wasn’t right. Tubbo wouldn’t have killed Dream if he didn’t deserve it. Did he deserve it? Tubbo nudged his hand and Tommy broke out of his thoughts, the guilt swirling around in his stomach.

_ Sorry _ , Tommy whispered back to his Bondmate.

_ Why are you apologizing? _

_ I feel like I've wronged you. _

_ Well don't, because you didn't. _ Tubbo's second nudge was much harder and Tommy glared at him over his bowl of food. He stuffed another bite of cheesy goodness into his mouth, sighing at how his mouth seemed to stick together with how much cream Wilbur had put in the sauce.

"You can have ice cream when you finish that bowl, Bubba," Wilbur's hand carded gently through his hair, his brother having sidled up behind him. Tommy had made Wilbur change when they got home and he had washed off all the blood. His hands smelled like the cinnamon pine handsoap that Phil favoured, and it was far better than the acrid iron before. "Or you can have more if you're still hungry, okay? You can have as much as you want."

"Thanks, Wilby." Tommy mumbled around his spoon, digging it back into the food. He didn't see the way Wilbur  _ beamed  _ at the nickname, but Tubbo's amusement was enough to convince him that it had happened anyway.

_ You know, you could really use this to stir up some trouble.  _ Tubbo raised an eyebrow at his food, flicking his eyes over to Wilbur quickly before making contact with Tommy again. Tommy tilted his head, questioning.  _ I mean, he and Techno are super competitive, especially with each other. _

_ Are they? _

_ They are, Techno once spent three entire centuries fighting this super minor god to see who could farm the most potatoes and Wilbur got challenged by some kid so he went around and did singing competitions with every siren he could find until he was declared the ultimate musician. _ Tubbo sent images of Techno knee deep in the dirt, mental photos of Wilbur furiously strumming a lute. Tommy choked down his laughter with another bite of noodles.

_ So, big man- _ Tommy grinned as his Bondmate.  _ What did you have in mind? _

_ They're clearly competing over who's the better big brother,  _ Tubbo reasoned. His hands twitched as he thought, like he was trying not to talk with them.  _ So I say to just egg them on. Like if Techno walks in here and you're calling Wilbur 'Wilby', he's gonna be so- _

There were hurried footsteps outside the door and Tommy shared an evil grin with Tubbo. The door flew open.

"Thanks for saving me, Wilby," Tommy dropped his voice, drooping into his food and curling into himself. Wasn't hard to act scared with everything that had happened… just an hour ago. "I- Dream always said he was my brother but- I think you're what a big brother is actually supposed to be like." Tommy played with the edge of his shirt. They'd had ones made that were like Phil's - backless, so Tommy's wings could be comfortable. Tommy focused on keeping his face straight as Tubbo shrieked from their Bond, sending images of Techno glaring over Phil's head, looking absolutely furious. It shifted to Wilbur's satisfied smirk, grinning back at Techno with narrowed eyes. Tommy shook from the force of holding back his laughter and prayed to every god that wasn't his brother that he'd be able to hold it in.

"Of course,  _ Bubba, _ " Wilbur cooed. "I will always be there for you. I love you." Wilbur wrapped his arms around Tommy, bringing him in for a hug, and Tommy buried his face, nuzzling into Wilbur's shoulder. He didn't have to see through Tubbo to hear the low growl that fell out of Techno's throat or how Tubbo's dropped his spoon with the force of his silent laughter.

"Love you too, Wilby." Tommy muttered into his shoulder, soaking in his brother's comfort. As much as Tommy liked to pretend he was just doing this to wind his brothers up, he knew he loved the attention. Something positive. Hugs that weren't too tight, hands on his face that weren't there to hit.

"Oh, hi Techno, Dad, welcome back," Wilbur's voice was all saccharine smugness, his chin propped on the top of Tommy's head. "Tommy asked for mac n cheese so I made him some food."

Tommy heard the floorboards creak as Techno filed further in, feeling Phil's hand on the top of his head. Tommy pulled away from Wilbur's hug, staring up at his… at Phil.

"Are you okay?" Phil's eyes softened as his fingers stroked down the side of Tommy's head. He nodded, fingers twisting as Tubbo grinned beside him.

"Yeah, Wilby was with me," Tommy watched Tubbo choke on his bite of food, trying not to inhale the noodles.  _ Don't breathe pasta.  _ Tommy cautioned and Tubbo quickly sent back a middle finger. "I was asleep for most of it, anyway. It's- I'm fine. I'm fine." Tommy repeated to himself. He watched Tubbo cough the noodles out, eyeing his Bondmate to make sure he was actually breathing. After murdering Tommy's ab-brother?-user, it would be real lame for Tubbo to go out because of some macaroni.

Techno looked about ready to explode and Tommy just ducked his head down, trying not to lose it again. Techno strode forward, grabbing Wilbur tightly by the shoulder and dragging him out the door, whispering harshly under his breath. Phil followed quickly after them, muttering something about how nobody else needed to die today-

As soon as the door closed behind him, Tommy and Tubbo burst into laughter. Tommy fell off his chair, smacking his chin off the floorboards as he cackled on the floor. Tubbo had almost fallen into his macaroni, body shaking with the force of his wheezes.

"I needed that," Tubbo coughed out, sitting up properly and staring at Tommy. "I killed a man today. He hurt you, but- I still did it."

"If you start blaming yourself, I'm going to kick your ass, Big T," Tommy whispered. His wings twitched in the slings as he reached over to give Tubbo a hug. Tubbo headbutted his chest, little horns digging in. Tommy didn't mind. "Don't tell Techno or Wilbur, but you're my favourite brother."

Tubbo squuezed him tighter, grinding the tips of his horns into Tommy's collarbone. It might leave bruises that Tommy could complain about later, their ice cream was still abandoned in the fridge, and Tubbo's half eaten macaroni was growing colder, but for now? This was enough.

It was enough.

\---

Schlatt held a shovel, staring down at the ruins of what used to be his beautiful, prized castle.

Quackity was sitting on top of one of the half-crumbled pillars, absently tossing rocks down at the hordes of zombies milling around as Sapnap's fires burned themselves out.

Ranboo was nowhere in sight, probably still trying to wash the gumpowder stains out of his hand. Or more accurately, trying to scrub his guilt away. Schlatt knew he'd have to have a talk with the kid sooner, but-

"Oh  _ come on _ ," he whined. "Why'd they have to go after m **_Y CASTLE?!_ ** "

A flock of birds startled out of a nearby tree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BYE


	21. Numb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's something wrong with Tommy's wings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY TUESDAY
> 
> so how are we feeling about canon rn? I don't know about y'all but I am very much taking the approach of I DO NOT SEE.

“I can’t  _ believe _ you, Wilbur,” Tommy begged. He had his hands over his ears, desperately searching for any kind of shelter. “What have you  _ done _ ?” he crawled along the edge of the dip in the ground, hands scrabbling for purchase in the cold, cold snow. It stung his nose, sticking to the sweat rolling off his palms. His wings twitched pathetically as heard the sound of Wilbur’s footsteps crunching outside his only defence.

“I’m just doing what’s best for you, Tommy Toms,” Wilbur sang. Tommy didn’t look, but he knew if he did, Wilbur’s eyes would be glowing with unreleased power. Tommy focused on what Wilbur had taught him the day prior, letting the Blessing on his throat burn as he activated the power, pushing Wilbur’s commands away from his ears. Couldn’t make him do things if he couldn’t listen. Wilbur had said that he wanted to give Tommy the option to refuse to listen to him, something about agency and choice and  _ trust _ . Tommy’s gut wrenched when he thought of how easily Wilbur could break that trust. “I just want to keep you safe. Why don’t you come run to me, little Bubs, and big brother Wilby can look after you?” Wilbur cooed. Tommy stayed where he was, counting the crunches of Wilbur’s boots in the snow. When he had gotten to six, he activated the Blessings on his hands, gently pulsing at Techno for help.

“I’m not going with you!” Tommy yelled, peeking his head out his only shelter. He was rewarded for his efforts by a snowy projectile going straight for his face, and he ducked. The snowball hit the tip of his left wing and they twitched again. After the first day he’d been brought back, more of his down had grown in- they expected him to complain about the itching.

Tommy couldn’t feel them at all.

He knew they were on his back, knew that they were there because he could feel the down brush on the shirt’s open back, but he couldn’t  _ feel _ them. He still pretended though. He was certain that if he just ignored it for long enough, it would go away. It would be fine. He was fine. There was nothing wrong.

He could distract himself long enough for it to not be a problem.

“Tommy~” Wilbur cooed from somewhere above him. Techno pulsed back along the Blessing and Tommy counted down the seconds. “I’m going to come find- find-”

Tommy peeked up from his snow fort again to see Techno methodically loading the cannon he’d had built specifically for this one purpose. He poured the snow in, fingers hovering over the switch. His gaze was blank, unfeeling, and he stared Wilbur down like a general on the battlefield. The snowballs in Wilbur’s hands no longer seemed as threatening. Wilbur audibly gulped, head whipping between Tommy and Techno as Tommy gave his best gremlin grin in response.

“You-” Wilbur flinched as Techno’s hand came closer to the button. “Techno, Techno, Techno, Tech- let’s talk- we can talk about this!” Wilbur went to back away but he wasn’t faster than the cannon. Techno’s hand pressed down, judgement in his eyes, and the thing went off with a loud  _ boom _ . Wilbur was flung backwards from the force of the hit, snow going up his nose and down his shirt, and sending him sprawling into the ground. Tommy giggled and he could feel the down on his wings brush against his legs as he stood and ran over to his saviour. He let the awe fill his gaze as he stared up at his biggest brother, hands grabbing for Techno’s soft cloak.

“Nobody messes with my brother.” Techno mumbled, large coming down and ruffling Tommy’s hair. Wilbur sat up, snow having knocked his crown off, and murder in his eyes. Tommy privately gave a shit eating grin, looking up at Techno again and tugging at his cape.

“You’re the best Techie,” Tommy said, watching as Techno’s mouth twitched upwards and Wilbur let out a distressed squawk. “Pick me up?” his brother obeyed, leaning down and gathering Tommy into his arms. Techno was strong, holding Tommy with one arm and letting Tommy wrap his arms around his neck. Tommy turned his head away from Wilbur and Techno as they started to bicker again, Techno not-so-subtly implying how Tommy said  _ he _ was the favourite now and Wilbur desperately trying to counter. Phil was sitting on the steps of the castle, peeking at Tommy through his fingers as Tommy sicced his brothers on each other again. 

He wiggled out of Techno’s arms, his older brother letting him down as he started to refill the cannon. Wilbur shrieked and ran, gathering snowballs. Techno pressed the button again and snow spewed everywhere but missing Wilbur this time. They both cried out for vengeance, Wilbur snapping his fingers and the metal bending under his power. With the cannon out, Techno gathered up snowballs like a normal person and ran like a man on a mission, fury in his eyes. His arms worked like pinwheels as Tommy picked his way over to Phil, carefully avoiding Tubbo and Ranboo’s snowman. If he knocked it down, he’d be hearing about it every night before he went to bed for  _ years _ .

Tubbo let out a huff of laughter at that thought, meeting Tommy’s eyes as Ranboo carefully placed stones to make a smile on the snowman’s face. Tommy grinned at him, carefully sending thoughts through the Bond, despite how his mind whirled.

Tommy was good at pretending.

When he was with- with the other Dream, he always had to pretend to be okay, to be happy. He hadn’t known he’d been walking on eggshells until he’d been taken away, and even then, the familiar space of trying to hide his hurt was somehow a comfort. Tommy knew his wings weren’t supposed to be so numb - sacks of flesh and feather on his back, no feeling in them. He couldn’t even move them. Sometimes they twitched on their own, and they hurt, but that was the most Tommy could get from them. They stayed tucked behind his back.

Tommy was good at pretending. So good that Tubbo turned back to his snowman without a second glance.

“You done winding your brothers up?” Tommy tried not to flinch at Phil’s voice, jumping slightly as he stared at his dad. He smiled sheepishly and joined Phil on the steps, stretching his legs out. Phil eyed his wings carefully, humming as he touched some of the down. Tommy forced a shudder to go through him - a similar response he’d seen Phil give after someone touched his wings. The man beside him hummed thoughtfully, letting his hand fall and looking at Tommy.

“How do your wings feel, mate?” the question was carefully worded and Tommy knew what Phil was looking for in an answer. He’d grown up with the other Dream, he knew how to play this game. And win.

“They’re kind of stiff,” Tommy ran his own hand over the top of them, manually stretching one out. He still couldn’t feel it, even when his hand gripped tight enough that he could feel the fragile bones shift. “I can’t figure out how to move them. At least they’re not too itchy.” Phil let out another thoughtful hum, gently brushing Tommy’s hand away from his wing. The thing stayed extended and Tommy determinedly refused to meet Phil’s eyes, nudging the wing back behind his back again. He knew if he looked his father in the eyes, he might break down and spill everything that was wrong with him.

Couldn’t even grow his wings right. Would Phil still want him? Tommy didn’t want to think about it.

“I’m sure they are,” Phil finally caught his gaze and Tommy bit his lip to keep it from wobbling. Couldn’t break. Couldn’t. “You’d tell me if there was anything wrong, right Tommy?”

“Yeah,” Tommy lied. He was proud of how he kept the wobble out of his voice, the sounds of Wilbur and Techno going from snowball fight to brawl keeping him grounded. He liked what he had here- he didn’t want to lose it. Nobody liked a useless crybaby. He cleared his throat, shifting his eyes away. He could feel Tubbo prodding at the back of his mind. “I would.”

“Okay,” Phil pressed a quick kiss to Tommy’s forehead, standing and helping his son up. “Come on, you must be freezing. I can’t believe the boys forgot to give you a pair of mittens.” the snow kept falling despite the annoyance in Phil’s tone, and Tommy took that as the sign it was that Phil wasn’t really angry. Phil was hard to read sometimes.

Tommy followed obediently, feeling Tubbo’s eyes burning into his back. He shoved back a slightly panicked feeling of contentment. Tubbo slowly turned back to his snowman and Tommy prayed that his friend was adequately distracted. It wouldn’t last forever, but for now, Tommy could pretend that he wasn’t broken. Useless.

Phil’s hand landed on the back of his head, pulling him in close and letting a wing wrap around him. Tommy leaned into the contact, huffing as the feather tickled his arm. He wished he could do the same, but it wasn’t meant to be.

It wasn’t meant to be.

No matter what Tommy did or where he went, he knew he was always going to be useless.

“Some hot chocolate, Tommy?” Phil was already pulling out a bunch of mugs, dropping a rosehip tea bag in one and putting some coffee on for Wilbur.

“Sure,” Tommy relayed the question to Tubbo, nodding to himself when his Bondmate responded in the affirmative with no small amount of suspicion. He’d deal with Tubbo later. Tommy really did miss the days where all he needed to do to keep a secret was shut his own lips. “Tubbo wants one too.”

“Alrighty, kiddo,” Phil ruffled his hair again and Tommy frowned at the length. Phil noticed, laughing lightly. The door squeaked open as Techno and Wilbur’s boots filled the hallway. “Your hair’s getting pretty long, huh? We could always cut it for you. I’m sure it must be in your way a lot.”

Tommy got an idea. He shrunk back into his chair, twirling a strand of hair around his finger as Techno and Wilbur filed into the kitchen, Ranboo and Tubbo right behind them.

“I dunno,” Tommy whined, accepting the mug of hot chocolate as Phil passed it over. “I think I might keep it long enough so I can braid it.” Phil raised an eyebrow, amusement sparking in his vision as his elder sons froze in place. Tubbo grinned from behind them. Never let it be said that Phil didn’t enjoy a good bout of chaos.

“That so?” Phil tilted his tone up, handing Tubbo another mug of hot chocolate. “You want to look like Techno?” shyly, Tommy nodded, trying to play it up. Wilbur deflated like a sat-on whoopie cushion as Techno rose to his full height, his chest puffing out. Techno’s face didn’t change much, but his eyes narrowed as smile marks appeared next to his eyes, staring in smugness at Wilbur. Wilbur glared halfheartedly, turning to Tommy.

“You could always cut it!” Wilbur tried. “You could have a haircut like mine!”

“Your hair’s a mess.” Tommy wrinkled his nose as he pointed out the fluff hanging over one of Wilbur’s eyes. Techno laughed, a belly-deep, full sound that rumbled out of his chest. He sat down next to Tommy, flicking his braid over his shoulder as his twin fumbled with another chair.

“It’s not your fault that Theseus likes me better,” Techno shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. “Of course he’d want to look like his favourite brother. I could even dye your hair pink, Theseus. Supposedly the mortals have things that could do that.” Techno stared down at him as Wilbur flung himself into a chair, blowing his hair poof away from his face in silent fury.

“Would you?” Tommy asked, quietly, and a grin finally split Techno’s face. Wilbur sunk further into his chair, grumbling under his breath.

“Of course, Theseus. Anything.” Techno’s love was quieter, far more with action than in words, but Tommy appreciated it all the more for how steady it was. He needed the words, needed the reassurance that he was still wanted, and Phil and Wilbur were always more than willing to help him. But Techno’s actions, blankets tucked around him when he had not fallen asleep with them, his favourite mug always washed for him to use in the mornings, cut up berries constantly in the fridge for him to snack in- Techno never needed to say anything for Tommy to  _ know _ . 

Tubbo glared down at his communicator, tapping roughly at it. Frustration oozed off his Bondmate and Tommy tried to poke at him, pulling it apart to find frustration, grief, sadness, anger, disappointment- it was a whole twisted mess of negativity. Tubbo jabbed back at him, questions flying through their Bond about Tommy’s weird behaviour. Tommy shut that down, returning forcefully to his own mind as Tubbo stared at him in-person, eyes narrowed and far too knowing for Tommy’s liking.

“Hey Philza,” Tubbo’s eyes fell to Phil, who had just taken a seat at the head of the table. “Schlatt just messaged me and said that the castle’s been rebuilt. Think I could take Tommy over there after we finish our hot chocolate and give him a tour? Maybe have a sleepover?” Tubbo’s tone was sweet but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Panic set in, crawling at Tommy’s throat as he imagined all the ways this _sleepover_ interrogation could go. 

“No, no, no,” Tommy tried to say, waving his hands around. His wings were  _ supposed _ to move with him, but they stayed numb and worryingly still, tucked behind his back. “That’s not necessary, I mean why go to all the trouble-” Tommy tried to say, rambling.

“No trouble at all,” Tubbo insisted, the fake grin still plastered on his face. His eyes were  _ burning _ and Tommy knew he was in for the lecture of his life when he finally got cornered. “I  _ insist _ , actually.”

“Sure, Tubbo,” Phil shrugged. Tommy deflated, knowing there was no way he was getting out of this now. Maybe he could- Tubbo’s hand fell hard on his shoulder, fingers digging into him and holding him in place. Tommy tried not to sink down into his chair. There went that plan. “I don;t see a problem with it. Just finish your hot chocolate and then you two can set off. Sound good, mate?”

“Sounds perfect. Thanks, Philza.” Tubbo’s hand was still on his shoulder, rooting Tommy to his seat. He sipped his hot chocolate in defeat, watching as Techno brought up getting a #1 Brother mug, Wilbur quickly arguing. They were both trying to one-up each other, Phil watching on with exasperated fondness. If Tommy had been in any other position, it might have found it funny.

Tubbo’s presence was steady beside him.

It was hard to find things funny right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao canon what canon?
> 
> Have some fluffy angst instead.


	22. Moon Blooms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They plan a picnic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good evening!! I am having a Good DayTM, canon doesn't exit to my eyes, I am in Found Family Land and ain't nOTHING GONNA BREAK MY STRIDE-

The walk to Schlatt’s revamped castle was silent, broken only by Tubbo’s angry footsteps on the snow. Even their Bond was quiet, Tubbo’s fury a slight buzz between them. Tommy picked at his nails, blinking down at his hands as he snagged a piece of skin. The pain didn’t really phase him- Dream wasn’t around enough to really see the extent of the damage he could do to himself. Tommy slowly peeled the skin off, small bits of blood beading in its place. Something about the pain both distracted him and made him more aware of where he was.

A hand slapped down on his own, Tubbo’s cold fingers gripping his hands. Tommy couldn’t bring himself to look at his eyes, the wind ruffling through his feathers. He could feel the feathers peaking out of his back, starting to push out the down. Little piles of white fluff were being replaced with golden feathers. They started lighter and grew darker, shining as the light caught them. Little piles of down were covered up by the snow.

It should itch.

Tommy felt nothing.

“Don’t do that. Stop hurting yourself.” Tubbo’s voice was flat, cold, and Tommy shrank back from him. He waited for the grip to turn bruising, punishing- he knew that Tubbo wouldn’t hurt him, but he still couldn’t help the instinctive fear. It was all encompassing, pushing at his mind, and devoid of any of the reason Tommy had come to associate Tubbo’s presence with. Tubbo jerked his hand down, breaking Tommy’s train of thought -  _ choo choo  _ his brain warbled uselessly - and fit his fingers between Tommy’s, clutching at his hand like he would disappear. They kept walking.

“How bad is it?” Tommy could barely feel his mouth move, too focused on Tubbo’s hand in his. Was he just doing it to keep him here? To comfort him? Tommy wasn’t sure. Wilbur liked to hold his hands sometimes, his nails were still painted a bright red from the last time Wilbur decided they hadn’t had enough brotherly bonding, and Tommy was still mesmerized with how the colour would catch his eye when he flexed his hand.

“How bad is what?” Tubbo turned to look at him, and Tommy glanced away, shoulders coming up to his ears. He nibbled on his bottom lip, shaking his head. He didn’t want to admit- but ugh, Tubbo had asked him.

“How angry are you,” Tommy clarified, clearing his throat. “At, um. At me.” he resisted the urge to bring his other hand to his mouth, tried to stop himself from ripping more skin until his fingers hurt too much to even hold a mug. Useless.  _ Useless. _

“I’m not angry at  _ you _ , Toms,” Tubbo sighed and Tommy resisted the urge to pull away again, flinching. His wings didn’t move when his shoulders went up. “I’m angry at the other Dream. I’m touching your feathers right now- I’m  _ touching _ them. You aren’t even- you can’t feel it.” it wasn’t a question, but Tommy nodded anyway. Tubbo already knew, there was no sense in trying to lie his way out of this one.

“Do-” Tommy tried to swallow around the golf ball now lodged in this throat. “Do you think he hurt them?”

“Pretty fucking sure of it,” Tubbo growled. He leaned over, other hand poking at the space where Tommy’s back met his wings. He could feel that, at least. “Your back should be a lot bigger, here. Wilbur said when he walked into the room when Dream snatched you that he had his disgusting hands in your wings. I definitely think he did something, and we’re going to find out what.” Tubbo’s voice was flat again, tone brokering no argument.

Tommy’s stomach twisted, something terrible and nauseous. It was getting harder to breathe, his vision going dark at the edges as he struggled to voice his question. Tubbo seemed to understand he  _ needed _ to know, hushing him through their Bond. Schlatt’s castle came into view, the large gates that Schlatt had insisted on installing just a meter or so ahead of them.

_ What?  _ Tubbo poked at him through their Bond, worry clouding his voice. Tommy shook his head, unable to properly reply. Instead, he sent his growing anxiety, images of Phil turning his back, being thrown out into the snow, the sky letting out little flakes as Phil was finally happier now that he’d been rid of a burden- useless, useless,  _ useless _ -

“Toms,” Tubbo breathed. Tommy jolted as Tubbo gathered him into a hug, little head bumps against his cheek. Tubbo’s horns were covered in this little peach-like fuzz. Tommy liked touching them. “They love you, they are  _ not _ going to throw you out because of this. Even if- even if you can’t fly or anything, Phil will still love you, Tommy. I promise. Okay? You trust me, right?”

Tommy nodded desperately, hands scratching around Tubbo’s horns. There was still a little blood on his fingers from earlier, but he was pretty sure Tubbo wouldn’t mind.

“You’re not a burden.” Tubbo said again, voice red-hot and furious.

Tommy hoped that one day he’d be able to fully believe him.

“Come on, Schlatt should be able to help you. It’ll be okay, Tommy.” Tubbo pulled away with one last head bump, grabbing Tommy’s head again and leading him through the gates. Even when Dream was dead, even when his head had been removed from his body and every bit of his presence had been destroyed, he was still following Tommy.

Sometimes he closed his eyes and he was back in the cave, Techno’s golden blood on the floor. Back in his room and Wilbur’s shocked expression. Back in the cabin, a hand striking his face and sending him to the floor.

Tubbo opened the gates and they stepped through. Tommy looked around- Schlatt, while being extremely annoyed about the state of his castle, had also seemed interested in all the upgrades he could throw in. And upgrades they were, rows and rows of flower gardens stretching up to the sky.

“Those are Moon Blooms,” Tubbo explained, voice hushed as he pointed out some beautiful blue flowers, their petals closed. “They grow best in the cold, but they only open at night. They glow in the dark too. I’m gonna take you out here and we’ll have a picnic around them.”

“That sounds really nice,” Tommy pushed closer to his best friend, feeling the Bond hum in contentment. “Can we bring a jukebox?”

“I was going to suggest that.” Tubbo grinned at him, leading him away from the pretty flowers. Bees buzzed all along them, funky trees stretching up to the sky, their branches being home to several low-hanging hives.

Schlatt had installed a new walkway -  _ he wanted to line it with soul sand,  _ Tubbo had explained through the Bond.  _ The physical echoes of souls he’s cursed to damnation. Quackity beat him over the head with a slipper for it, though. _ \- it was a light marble, delicate and crossing with random darker lines. Tommy thought it looked quite nice. There were pillars everywhere, made with as much of the old brick as possible, all with hanging vines and flowers. He liked it. He never realized how good Schlatt’s taste was.

They entered the main doors, Tubbo leading Tommy through a series of tunnels in the walls, pressing random buttons and pulling books, and Tommy marvelled at all the secret passageways. Both Wilbur and Techno had given him a tour of their castle’s secret walkways - separately, of course. Tommy had pretended both times that Phil hadn’t already shown him the ways, content to let his brothers feel accomplished. He wasn’t sure exactly when they’d crack their thick skulls together and figure out he’d played both of them, but he wasn’t counting on it being anytime soon.

Tubbo opened the last lever, a passage creaking as the door swung. They stepped into Schlatt’s office, where the fireplace was raging and Quackity was sitting in a hammock, humming over a pile of papers.

“Hey, kiddo- kids,” Schlatt startled, looking up and over the two godlings. “What’s up?”

“There’s something wrong with Tommy’s wings,” Tubbo said, putting his hands on Tommy’s shoulders and getting him to sit on the floor. “He can’t feel them. They’re completely numb. Even when I touch them or his feathers come in. He can’t move them, either.” Quackity dropped his papers at that, quickly rolling out of his hammock and heading over. Schlatt also dropped his pen, exiting his desk and kneeling down beside Tommy and Tubbo.

“Can I touch them and your back?” Quackity rolled his sleeves up, frowning at Tommy. Tommy nodded, holding his breath as Quackity prodded at the junction between Tommy’s wings and his back, muttering about how his back shouldn’t be as smooth. His touch carried on, past where Tommy could feel it. He watched a stray piece of downy fluff flutter to the ground and grabbed it, playing with the softness.

“What the  _ fuck. _ ” Quackity’s voice shook as he did- he did something back there. Tommy wasn’t sure and he craned his neck to look.

“What?” Schlatt leaned over. Tommy’s eyes burned as he tried to keep his gaze on Quackity’s hands, who was squeezing and feeling along the top of Tommy’s wings.

“The- the muscles here are just  _ gone _ ,” Quackity’s voice was shaking, high pitched and stressed. “He couldn’t lift them if he tried. And considering he can’t feel them, he’s got some severe nerve damage. If it were accidental, he should still be able to feel something. But since it’s completely- I think all the nerves connecting his back to his wings,” Quackity’s hands appeared on Tommy’s shoulder blades again. Tommy tried to think past the roaring in his ears. It didn’t matter. Tubbo said it didn’t. “They’ve been ripped out. I don’t even-” Quackity sat back on his heels, staring at Tommy’s wings in something like horror. Schlatt was silent beside him, then a hand landed heavily on Tommy’s shoulder. He startled up to see Schlatt’s burning eyes fixed on his.

“I want you to know that Dream has been sent to the deepest pit of hell I  _ have _ ,” Schlatt promised, voice flat with fury. It reminded Tommy of Tubbo. “I was already torturing him, but I’m about to make it worse.”

“He-” Tommy lost his voice at the syllable, shaking his head and curling into himself.

“Hey, hey, hey-” Tubbo’s presence was suddenly there again, arms around him and Tommy’s head tucked under his chin. “It doesn’t matter. Phil’s not going to get rid of you because of what Dream did.” Tommy choked on a sob, clutching at Tubbo’s shirt as the tears ran down his face. Snot got on Tubbo’s clothes, but Tubbo didn’t pull away.

Quackity shared a look with Schlatt, pulling the other god away to whisper at him as Tommy cried. When he’d finally caught his breath, another hand landed on his shoulder, and Quackity smiled weakly at him.

“I think I can do something for your wings here, man.” Quackity said. Tommy sniffled, trying to suck back the mucus that had escaped during his cry. Wordlessly, Schlatt handed them both a box of tissues and Tommy blew his nose. He was trying so hard not to look pathetic in front of Tubbo’s family, but just like Tubbo himself, it seemed that neither of them cared very much. “I can either heal the nerves  _ or _ heal the muscles.”

“Don’t heal the muscles,” Schlatt shrugged, coming back to sit down with them again. Tommy opened his mouth to ask why, but Schlatt shook his head and put a hand up to stop him. “I know you might think that’d be the best plan- but without the nerves, you wouldn’t be able to move them anyway. Technically, they’d work, but you wouldn’t be able to do anything. Healing the nerves is the best bet here. You’ll be able to feel them and still participate in important social activities, like preening.”

“Preening?” Tommy asked, quietly.

“It’s something birds do to take care of their wings and reinforce social bonds,” Tubbo said. One of his hands was behind Tommy’s back. “I’ve been meaning to ask Philza to teach me how so I can preen you.”

“You don’t have to.” 

“You let me headbutt you!” Tubbo threw his hands in the air. “So I want to preen you.” Tommy’s lip wobbled again, and he leaned forward to bury his face in Tubbo’s neck. Tubbo easily wrapped his arms around his friend again, Tommy sighing as the Bond pushed nothing but love, care, safe safe safe-

Quackity cleared his throat. Tommy opened one eye to watch the god as he smiled fondly at the two of them, leaning back from sitting on his heels to sitting on his butt.

“And we can build something to take the place of muscles, so you can extend your wings and keep them extended. You won’t be able to fly, not properly, but you should be able to glide,” Quackity said. “Like a harness, something that will clip to your back and up your wings, take the place of the muscles. Something that can help support the weight of your body mid-glide. Schlatt, think you can ring Sam?”

“Already on it.” the other god stood, walking back over to his desk and grabbing his communicator.

“It’ll be okay, Tommy. Don’t worry. You will have to tell Phil though. He’s probably already noticed that you’re acting off and he’s going to be worried.” Quackity scolded, lightly, and Tommy shrunk under the disappointed tone.

“Yeah,” he said, not even believing himself. “I will.” it was a weak move, but Quackity nodded anyway.

“You boys still heading off to that picnic?”

“Once the sun sets!” Tubbo chirped back, bouncing up and dragging Tommy to his feet.

“Sam wants Tommy’s measurements. He says he can build it. C’mere, kid.” Tubbo pushed Tommy over to Schlatt’s desk as the older god pulled out a tape measure, It took  _ hours _ , Schlatt pushing and prodding and wrapping Tommy up in enough measurements. Apparently this Sam didn’t trust Schlatt much, and Tommy had to agree. The god was half-assing his measurements, often calling things just “good enough” and then leaving it.

Sam required pictures at every stage, with the measuring tape held up beside. His final note was that it would take a few days and that he would like Tommy to be brought to him in person so he could make sure nothing would malfunction.

“Sam’s the god of invention. He lives with Puffy- they tend to stay out of any conflicts, they have this weird bubble thing up in the stars,” Tubbo had blabbed, his talking filling the void as he swung their picnic basket in one hand and held Tommy’s in the other. “She’s the goddess of creation so she makes things and he builds with them. He’s really nice, you know. I think you’re gonna like him.”

Tommy nodded, squeezing Tubbo’s hand, a silent  _ I love you _ . Tubbo squeezed back.

They finally found a good spot, settling down with their basket. Tubbo shook their blanket out, letting the red and white checkered pattern cover the grass in the middle of the Moon Bloom garden, little stones tracing their path through the forest.

The sun set as Tubbo brought their snacks out and Tommy watched as the blooms glowed, opening under the light of the stars. Tubbo blinked, staring, as they grew and grew and kept growing, roots chasing over the stones and covering the trees and ruining the orderly garden Schlatt had planted.

_ Not ruining, _ Tubbo said through their Bond, hand over Tommy’s. Tommy could feel a warmth in his own chest, sort of like a Blessing but in  _ him _ , race through his blood. He inhaled the smell of dirt and grass and flowers, of things living, and exhaled magic. The flowers grew.  _ Making better _ .

The morning came, sun pouring through the trees. Schlatt mourned the loss of his carefully organized garden, massive Moon Blooms blossoming anyway despite the sun, still reflecting drops of starlight. The wind blew, the trees shook, and the petals opened to let Tommy step out of one of them, moonlight shining in his hair and starlight in his eyes. He shook his head, laughing to come join Tubbo in poking fun of Schlatt’s grief.

It was the best sleep he’d had in a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone who guessed Avain!Tommy was correct
> 
> Enjoy your bragging rights


	23. Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeetza

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I FINALLY GOT MORE NOODLES
> 
> I hate grocery shopping though, seriously. It stresses me out so bad. I want to shop in a big bubble, two meters on either side. Nobody would be able to ignore the 2 meter signs then!!

There was an itch in Tommy’s chest, something pulling him off the cliff edge and further out into the world he hadn’t explored. After their picnic, Tommy and Tubbo had run around in town, visiting Niki. She’d treated them to a late lunch, soft conversations over tea, scones, and sandwiches. It’d been really nice. They’d talked about the pull, staring over the horizon, and Niki had said she didn’t understand.

Tubbo did though. His pull went in the same direction as Tommy’s before splitting some worlds away.

_ We’re meant to leave _ , Tubbo had said.  _ We will have to go eventually. _

_ When?  _ Tommy wanted to know.

His Bondmate had hesitated.  _ Soon. _

Not soon enough.

Tommy stared over the edge, little pebbles falling to the ground beneath him. He could hear Phil rummaging around behind him, speaking softly about down and wings and something to do with the glowing feather attached to Tommy’s back.

True to his word, Quackity had restored the nerves. Tommy could feel them now and twitch them a bit, but he couldn’t lift them without the muscles to support it. They sat heavy on his back, a weight. He knew he was flightless. He’d never taste the sky the way Phil could.

**_Not yet_ ** , something in him purred.

Tommy shook his head, glancing at Phil. The older god had his own wings stretched out, feathers ruffling in the wind. He was approached, a wild grin on his face. Tommy’s stomach dropped, backing away as Phil stepped closer with extended hands. His mouth was moving, and Tommy struggled to tune back in to what his dad had been saying.

“-be instinctive! Don’t worry, Toms, as soon as you’re in the air, your wings will know what to do. Like a little bird!” Phil grinned. He stepped closer and Tommy could feel the edge of the cliff against the heel of his boots. He hadn’t told them- he’d meant to, he really had, but he couldn’t take it. Couldn’t take their disappointment.

As soon as Tommy thought he had a grip on things, some kind of control or balance in his new world, something new would knock him off it. All week as his flight feathers had been poking through, and he’d finally been able to complain about the itching in full, Wilbur had been discussing how lonely Phil got on his flights by himself. Techno said he was excited to time Tommy and see how fast he could go. Phil had just run his fingers through Tommy’s feathers, promising to do his first preen after his first flight, that he’d guide him through all the instincts that came with the wings.

Tommy didn’t want to disappoint them.

His other heel hit the edge of the cliff and Phil’s hands pushed against his shoulders. Tommy closed his eyes, falling backwards.

Maybe he should have been scared.

Maybe if he hit the ground hard enough, he wouldn’t have to face them.

A little bird egg, smashed on the pavement. Blue-shelled and speckled, and-

His wings wouldn’t open, couldn’t open, and the wind ruffled through his hair. Tommy hoped it wouldn’t hurt. The wind grew louder, shrieking at him, prodding at the useless lumps of bone and nerve on his back-

He landed in somebody’s arms, harsh breaths in his ears, the falling snow quickly turning to rain. Tommy turned back to meet Phil’s eyes, watching his father as the man panicked, holding them both aloft.

“I can’t fly,” Tommy was proud of how little his voice shook, Phil shaking his head in mounting horror. A crack of lightning lit the horizon, casting harsh shadows on Phil’s face. He could see the warm lights of their castle from here. “Dream tore out the muscles and nerves in my wings.”

Phil’s grip crumbled and Tommy slipped, a soft cry coming from his lips as he stared down at the ground, it hitting him just how fucking close he had come to hitting it- he was jerked up, hard, by one arm, his shoulder protesting loudly as Phil slipped another hand under his knees. Tommy couldn’t look at him- wouldn’t-

“Tommy, you-” Phil’s eyes were wide, his jaw slack. Tears were gathering in the corners of them, but Tommy wasn’t sure if the liquid streaking down his face was from crying or the rain. Tommy moved one leg, judging the distance to the ground. Phil was saying something, again, but Tommy tuned him out, listening to the rumbling thunder instead. He didn’t blame Phil for being mad. He couldn’t- he’d been given such a gift, of freedom, and he’d gone and wasted it.

_ Phil threw me off a cliff trying to teach me to fly.  _ Tommy poked at Tubbo, feeling fear course through his Bondmate at the admission.

_ You didn’t tell him?! _ Tubbo’s thoughts were shrieking like nails on a chalkboard, like a braking train on the tracks, like the noise Phil let out when Tommy dove from his arms, tucking into a roll and letting the impact from the fall brush up his ankles, through his knees, propelling him into a somersault. He’d jumped higher from trees, wondering if he broke his ankle or his leg, if that would be the thing to make Dream  _ stay _ -

_ Can you come? _ Tommy couldn’t help the ask. He knew he was selfish, knew he wasn’t worth Tubbo’s time or Tubbo’s attention but-

_ Always. _ the Bond cut off from there, the rushing motions from Tubbo getting ready. Tommy slapped his feet, a pattern of song into the forest, taking off into the cover of the trees. He’d never tried this running from someone before, but-

Wingbeats swooped above him, desperate calls of his name. The trees’ canopy closed around him, blocking any people from coming in above. After calls of his name with no results, the forest’s quiet was shattered by high-pitched whistles. Tommy let the forest curl around a specific spot, carving a path out for himself forward and back towards the castle. He heard Phil’s whistles grow further, chasing down the spot where the leaves were thickest, strands of lightning arching against the ground to try and light his way.

The forest moved, leaves shaking under his feet as the ground rumbled. Not making a maze. Making a way home. Tommy wasn’t sure how long Phil would be fooled by his trap, how long the forest could hold a god older than it. He emerged in front of the gates soon enough. It wasn’t much of a head start if Phil realized what he’d done, but Tommy would take what he could get.

He stormed in through the front doors, letting the oak smack against the opposing wall as his bickering brothers paused in the kitchen. Phil’s Blessing burned, hot and heavy between his shoulder blades, where there should have been muscle to support wings.

Useless.

_ Useless. _

“Tommy?” Wilbur sat up from the table, head rising from his arms where he’d clearly been bitching at Techno. “What’s-” Tommy let the mark on his throat burn, shooing Wilbur’s voice away from his ears. Techno stepped forward, furrowed brow as Wilbur jerked back like he’d been slapped-

Tommy blocked his voice too.

He rushed upstairs, ignoring the footsteps that followed moments later. Tommy slammed his door closed, pulling the lock. It wouldn’t slow Techno for long. He pushed his bed against the door a moment before it started shaking with the power of Techno’s smacks against it. He added more furniture, pushing his desk on top of the bed, delicately picking the frame of their first family picture off the wall.

Tommy stared down at it.

Techno’s half-smile, Wilbur’s broad one, Phil’s wings around the three of them.

Him. The one black spot in all of their lives.

He wouldn’t unblock their voices.

Couldn’t.

They couldn’t get rid of him if  _ he left first. _

Tommy took the photo out of the frame, ripping his face out from the middle of it and letting it flutter to the ground.

A tap at his window distracted him, pulling him from the numbness. He stepped over the picture -  _ fake, undeserving, useless, they are better off without you _ -

Tubbo sat outside the window, small with the rain plastering his hair against his face. He reached out one slick hand as Techno burst through the door, tripping over Tommy’s furniture with Wilbur right on his heels, all shouting that Tommy couldn’t let himself hear.

He took Tubbo’s hand and let Ranboo pull them both through the shadows.

It was as numb as Tommy felt.

\---

Techno stared at the spot Tommy disappeared. Wilbur stepped further into the room, crawling over Tommy’s bed. They both jumped when the door slammed open for the second time that night-

They’d-

Techno felt sick.

He and Wilbur had been fighting in the kitchen again - when Tommy had been in town with Tubbo, he’d bought a #1 Big Brother mug and thought he was being sneaky, wrapping the thing and hiding it under one of the stray stones in the garden. They’d been arguing over who the mug was for- Techno was sure it was for  _ him _ and Wilbur was wrong.

Phil rushed up the stairs, wings bristling and panic in his eyes. He stopped short in the doorway, wings instinctively spread too wide to let him in. He stared at the damage and Techno watched his twin carefully as he picked up a photograph from the floor.

It was one of all of them- their first.

Tommy’s face had been torn out of the picture.

Techno made a choked noise, watching as Wilbur pressed a hand to his mouth.

“What have we done?” Wilbur’s voice was quiet, soft, almost too hoarse from all the shouting he’d done earlier.

“Dream ripped the nerves and muscles out of his wings,” Phil said from behind them, like Techno was fucking ready to hear that. “The other Dream. He-” Wilbur straightened, the photograph falling out of his hands.

“He must have done it while I was pretending to be unconscious,” he breathed, one hand coming up to grip at his hair. Tears welled in Wilbur’s eyes and Techno could feel the same burning in his chest as his twin  _ broke _ . “I- this is my fault. I wasn’t fast enough, I could have  _ stopped _ -”

Phil’s wings wrapped around them both, bringing them into a hug. As much as Techno wanted to pull away, insist he was fine, the burning turned from being to his chest to behind his eyes, and before he knew it, his quiet crying was a sad accompany to Wilbur’s desperate sobs.

“We will-” Phil said, voice shaky. “We will fix this. He went with Ranboo?”

Techno nodded, not trusting his voice.

“He’s probably with Tubbo,” Phil reasoned. “Let’s just- take a deep breath, head over- we can help him. We knew this wasn’t going to be easy.”

“Right,” Techno agreed, nodding. He pulled from the hug then, letting Phil fully wrap around Wilbur. His twin, always the more vocal, sobbed for both of them, shaking and shuddering breaths. “Right.” he tapped the icons, finding the name of their most elusive god.

_ Karl, _ Techno smacked the keys with his thumbs, ignoring the water that dripped down his face and messed with the touch screen.  _ What would I have to do to convince you to let me go back in time? _

_ Karl is typing… _

Techno watched the curtains fly from the open window.

It was just dusty.

His chest shuddered with every breath.

Very dusty.

\---

“Tommy, was it?”

The kid nodded, playing with his fingers. There was a shadow across his eyes and he exchanged a quick look with Puffy. Dream was lounging on her other side, her fingers having stilled in his hair. The god also stopped, staring down at the godlings. Tubbo was wrapped carefully around his friend, a dangerous glint in his eyes. Schlatt and Quackity’s Blessings were both activated, golden strands wrapping around Tommy’s head, drawing out the negativity.

There was a lot of black sludge. It dripped down Tommy’s temples and Sam tried not to wince at how shattered the kid looked.

“I just have some final touches to put on the harness,” Sam lied. “Why don’t you go play with Fran? I’m sure she’d love you.” 

Tubbo nodded before Tommy could, dragging his Bondmate away. Sam watched them go, sighing. The harness was behind him, fully complete- all they had left to do was test it.

“Their godhood is pulling them away from here,” Puffy murmured. Her hair bounced as she stood and Sam craned his head back to stare at his longest friend as she peered down at Dream. “They will need to go seek out their companions.”

“They will,” Dream sighed and stretched, cracking his back. “I’ll take them.”

“You can’t watch them.”

“I know.”

“They need to do this on their own.”

“Is it the best time for it?” Sam interjected, staring between the other two. “Tommy seems so-” he hesitated on the word, struggling to form the sentences. “-fragile.” Sam winched at the implications, looking away as Puffy raised an eyebrow judgmentally at him.

“He needs an ally, a protector,” Puffy turned to stare out at the universe, at the endless expanse of sky. Life itself was a rejection of order- a final testament of resilience and strength against the unbending force of the universe. Every planet, every rock, every living  _ soul _ was chaos in how the universe perceived it. Puffy could create things, sure, but she was under chaos’ domain. The universe dies in a bang.

Order meant the coldest expanses, the vines that sucked up life and deleted it permanently. Order was silence and cold. The universe dies with a whimper.

It only made sense that their Bond would be so strong.

It would take nothing else to keep balance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am gonna go to bed~


	24. Prosthetic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy tries out his new wings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELCOME BACK
> 
> I wasn't feeling great Friday so I didn't update. But happy Monday, here's a new thing!
> 
> Also I posted the first chapter to a new fic- the one I'm writing after Godling. Once Godling's done (and it'll wrap up within by the end of the week), I will start writing Extension. I've put all my Minecraft fics into a single series, so go check Extension out if you want :)
> 
> I'm very excited about it and all the people I got to beta it also like it, so I hope you will too!

_ "Hello, Theseus," large hands came down towards the child in the crib, gently pulling him against a perfectly pressed shirt. "I apologize for the delay, I have been busy. There was a war off in the South I had to attend to- some idiot calling himself the blood god somehow found a wither spell and unleashed two of them on a country he didn't like. Did a lot of damage, little one. It was chaos." the babe reached up to Technoblade's crown, and he smiled, letting the kid play with it. Theseus was so tactile, even young as he was. Techno knew what sort of Blessing he would give him. _

_ Techno had given out few Blessings in his lifetime. Warriors, of honourable prestige, who had nothing left to do but fight. They often died quickly and painfully, and then were regarded as heroes. Techno didn't have much faith in heroes anymore. _

_ Theseus' Blessing would have to be different. _

_ Phil's had been placed the minute he had picked up Theseus, shining in the middle of his back. Some day, it would turn to real wings, and Techno lived for the day his brother could soar through the sky. _

_ "Battles will always swing in your favour," he whispered. He could feel Wilbur's presence behind him, his twin anxious to place his own Blessing on their new brother. "Weapons will never break in your hands," little pink marks were starting to glow on Theseus' palms, and Techno hushed the babe's happy coos, feeling his magic reach out to this half-mortal half-god who had already stolen his heart. "You will call and I will answer. You will have my strength, my knowledge, my protection. To this, I Bless you." _

_ The Blessing took, a swarm of pink, a loss of magic- Techno knew he might regret this, sparring with Theseus when he was old enough to be taught to hold a sword, his own power turned against him. But this would ensure, wherever Theseus went, Techno could follow. Could be the shield and the sword, be the guardian of his brother's life. _

_ Silently, Techno passed the babe off to Wilbur. His twin nestled Theseus in one arm, gently brushing his fingers against Theseus' throat. _

_ "Your song will always be the sweetest," Wilbur murmured. Techno watched the gold swirl around Theseus' throat. He pretended he wasn't crying. "You will never fear being controlled by me," Techno blinked. Wilbur had Blessed many mortals, poets and revolutionaries alike, yet he had never given any of them the ability to disobey him. "You will call and I will answer. You will have my everything, all the power I can give. To this, I Bless you." the marks swirled around Theseus' throat, settling in the same way Techno's had. _

_ Wilbur kissed Theseus' head and Techno grabbed one of the baby's toys, a little rattle, shaking it gently as their brother reached up for it. _

_ Phil had made an entire room dedicated to just Theseus' toys. _

_ Techno really thought it should have been two, so he'd been keeping a store of extra things of Theseus in his chambers. He knew Wilbur had done the same. _

_ War and Madness, sitting on the floor and shaking a baby rattle at a child. _

_ Who would have thought? _

\---

"What do you mean, you won't let me go-"

"Look," Karl sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Technoblade, I understand how tragic this is. But-"

"But nothing!" Techno slammed his fist onto the table, the plates clattering as the stupid thing shook. Wilbur was seated beside him, lips pressed in a thin line. Phil had already taken off to Sam's, knowing that their godling was with him after Sam had called them. Theseus was upset and  _ rightfully  _ so. "Theseus went through  _ days  _ of pain just to have these wings, and now you're telling me he can't fly? We need to fix this- you have the power to let me fix this!" Techno argued. He could feel his face flush, knew that the rage was bubbling in his throat the longer he had to sit here and stare at the god who was refusing to help them.

"He never would have been able to fly!" Karl finally snapped, yelled back, brow furrowed and painted nails flying about as he shouted. Techno sat back and stared as the god of time continued his rampage. "I have looked into every possible scenario- even if you went all the way back and stopped Tommy from getting kidnapped, he still would have hurt his wings. He was never meant to fly on his own. It's part of his path to godhood." Karl seemed to calm as he spoke, the angry hand motions finally stilling.

Techno looked away. Wilbur shifted beside him, gently laying a hand on Techno's knee.

"So we wouldn't have been able to stop it." Wilbur's voice was flat, tone cold, and Karl sighed for what felt like the thirteenth time this session.

"No," Techno's eyes flickered back to the other god as Karl leaned back in his chair. "You  _ have  _ to understand- the loss of flight is integral to his path to godhood. Every, and I do mean every, possible timeline where he doesn't lose flight is one where he dies. Permanently. Schlatt can't do anything for him, kind of permanently."

Techno swallowed. His Blessings had always brought about curses- heroes doomed to their fates. Exiled and killed in his refuge. Drowned after gaining wings. Murdering his wife and children as the all encompassing blood rage refused to die in his retirement. They were all the same- and now, Techno had cursed Theseus too.

"He will be okay," Karl placed his hand on top of Techno's fist. He stared down, watching the painted thumb as it brushed up and down Techno's fingers. "Sam has a prosthetic of sorts that will let him open and close his wings. He'll be able to glide with ease. And!" Karl put up a finger, a smile gracing his face. "Tubbo and Tommy are quite lucky- they have companions."

"Companions?" Wilbur tilted his head, letting just an edge of his power out. Others might not have noticed, but Techno did. He'd known his twin for so long it'd become natural. He slid his eyes up at Karl, who slowly had a dopey smile growing on his face. Wilbur's powers here weren't meant to control- they were meant to loosen lips.

"Yes," Karl chirped. He leaned a bit further forward and Techno stopped himself from pulling away. If he moved too sharply, he'd break the spell Wilbur had. "The Egg, the Dragon. I'm sure you've heard of them. Tubbo is Order, with his hidden aspect being Death. His responsibilities will be to clean up the universe and drain unnecessary worlds of their life. The Egg is his companion, naturally, it will mostly assist him with the cleaning bits so he can spend more time with his family," Karl waved his hand absently, the dopey look still hard in place. "Tommy is Chaos, with a hidden aspect of Life! He has the Dragon, he flies with it. Somehow he always names the thing Henry…" Karl trailed off, his eyes getting back some of his original colour. "He creates strange worlds and destroys them just as frequently- he experiments to fill the universe and keep life going. Life is an act of defiance against the grand scheme of things, so Tommy is also  _ defiance. _ " Karl was frowning now, and Techno wondered how long it would take the other god to realize he'd been duped. "A flightless bird who flies anyway. Kidnapped who finds his way home. Traumatized who finds peace- oh Wilbur you son of a bitch," Karl blinked the rest of the gold away, flinging his hand and almost whacking Techno's chin just to point accusingly at Wilbur. "You weren't supposed to know any of that!"

"Theseus is chaos," Techno dropped his face into his hands as Karl spluttered. He was trying to bite down the urge to laugh, to cry- because of course. "Of course he is." Theseus had thrown all of their lives into chaos.

Techno missed him.

When he saw that kid next, he was going to affirm every bit of love he had. That they wouldn't hate him just because he couldn't fly- that. It didn't mean  _ anything _ . Not to Techno, not to Phil, and not to Wilbur. And if anyone ever said anything about it, Techno was going to slaughter them then and there.

Wilbur was saying something, something incredibly unimportant, because Theseus pulsed along the Blessing. Techno clenched his hands and pulsed back.

He would wait for Theseus to call him. Hopefully Tubbo was smart enough to not let him leave on his own.

\---

“So.” Phil sat carefully, folding his hands over and over again in his lap. He wanted to rush forward and pull his son into his arms- but he remembered all the flinching Tommy did, and kept himself still. Where Phil had chosen to sit in one of Sam’s plush-covered chairs, Tommy had chosen the floor. His feathers were giving little prickles, fluffing up in a mix of happy nervousness as Sam’s self-appointed therapy dog licked at his face. Tommy glanced up at Phil’s words, wings twitching up again- but they fell just as fast, missing the muscles required to keep them up.

Phil wanted to cry, but he couldn’t. Not in front of Tommy. Tommy flinched back, Fran pressing closer to him, and Phil let out a quick breath. His forehead was starting to ache with how hard he’d pressed his eyebrows together.

“No, no, you’re not in trouble, Tommy. None of this is your fault, and I don’t blame you, but,” Phil sighed. He tried to swallow past the anxiety crawling up his stomach. He felt nauseous, and wondered if this was how mortals felt before they threw up. “Why didn’t you tell us?”  _ Why didn’t you tell me _ , Phil wanted to cry out, but he couldn’t. Needed to be there for his son now- his own gripes could wait.

“I was scared,” Tommy admitted. His hands buried in Fran’s fur, and Phil made a mental note to get him a therapy animal as soon as fucking possible. “I was scared- that’d-” Tommy’s face screwed up, his fingers twitching, and Phil could almost see the Bond working as he consulted Tubbo briefly. “That you’d leave me. F-for being useless.” Tommy barely mumbled the last part out, turning his head away and letting Fran curl up in his lap, licking at his chin.

“That we’d-” memories flashed through Phil’s mind, the gaping pit in his stomach replaced by rolling horror. He knew the mortal world was being ravaged by several natural disasters, but it didn’t matter. Their balance was  _ useless _ , useless because his son thought he was. “Oh my gods. Tommy-” Phil cut himself off and threw his body forward, wrapping his baby in his wings. To his immediate relief, Tommy melted into the hug, his own wings twitching like he wanted to wrap them around Phil too. His heart  _ broke _ , Tommy would never be able to fly-

It didn’t matter. Phil shook his head viciously, feeling Tommy’s heart pulse under his hands. It didn’t  _ fucking _ matter, because Tommy was with him. Here, present, and safe. Tommy sniffled and Phil could feel a mix of tears and snot soaking at his shirt. That didn’t matter either, naturally- as a baby, Tommy’d had the habit of puking on everyone who picked him up. Phil had raised a toddler; he’d been covered in  _ worse _ .

“We would  _ never _ leave you, okay? Never. Not ever again,” Phil tucked his son under his chin, letting his throat rumble into his baby’s scalp. He still remembered the emptiness of the loss, and even if this hurt, it was still better. Even if Tommy was sad, in pain, it was still better because he was here. “I promise. I promise.”

“Okay,” Tommy whispered back. He hesitated and Phil was about to press forward, demand to know what was wrong, when- “Thank you… dad.”

Tommy had called him dad since he’d gotten here. Which was fine - it was, Phil didn’t want to push him - but even just the simple title made his heart squeeze, and he knew his storms turned to snowfall down below. Phil’s wings came up, a large blue-grey barrier between Tommy and whatever would hurt him, and-

“Wanna use that harness?” Phil asked. He whispered again, gently massaging Tommy’s back under his fingers. His son nodded into his shirt, tears finally drying up. “I’ll fly with you to make sure nothing goes wrong- I trust Sam’s craftsmanship, but I still want to be sure. Is that okay?” another nod. “Maybe I can preen you, after.”

“Preen me,” Tommy repeated. He pulled away slightly, but Phil kept his wings around them, even if he let Tommy sit up to rub at the tear tracks and blow his nose into a tissue Phil offered. Fran had finally settled down, curling into Tommy’s lap and just letting him brush his hands through her fur. “Tubbo said that preening is a social activity for birds.”

“He’s right,” Phil ran a hand through Tommy’s feathers, watching as his son shuddered with the feeling. “Your first preen is important. It creates social bonds with your main flock- we can call your brothers to come help, if you’d like.” Phil watched Tommy’s face carefully for any signs of discomfort. He knew the first preen would tie Tommy’s instincts to the people who did it- he would look at them as caregivers from that point forward, and when his instincts took over, he’d go running to one of them for safety. If he didn’t want Phil or Techno or Wilbur there, that was fine. It was fine, Phil was sure he could teach Tubbo properly, even if the idea would rip his heart apart.

“Can we?” Tommy looked up hopefully, feathers twitching again, and Phil smiled. He wondered why he’d ever doubted.

“Of course, little bird,” Phil kissed his forehead. “Preening is pretty easy- we just need to straighten any crooked feathers and pull any ones that have already fallen out, out of your wings. We also check for bugs or dirt or such in between the feathers.”

“Tommy?” Tubbo’s voice interrupted the conversation and they both turned to the open doorway, where Tubbo was hovering with an excited look on his face. “Your harness is ready! Sam’s good to put it on whenever so you can fly properly.”

Tommy looked over at Phil and grinned.

The two boys led them out of the room, back to where Dream was flicking through dimensions, where Puffy was making some stretchy material between her hands, reading the dimension text from over Dream’s shoulder, and where Sam held a beautiful metal contraption. The harness was made with a metal Puffy had designed specifically for this- Sam explained, - one that could hold the pressure of Tommy’s form in the air without bending, but that was lightweight enough to not impede Tommy’s flying.

The harness clipped on around Tommy’s stomach and up his back, Sam attaching the several metal pieces that went across Tommy’s wings. They were able to collapse, like the wings themselves. There was extra padding around where the wings connected to Tommy’s back, acting like the muscles Tommy had lost.

There was nothing they could do to make Tommy flap like a real bird, like he was meant to, but they could let him glide. After a few test runs of having Tommy open and close his wings, Sam let Dream take them into the same alternate dimension he’d let Techno and Tommy escape into - flower fields and grassy fields.

Phil flew underneath Tommy, arms out and ready to catch as Tommy glided towards the ground. He wasn’t able to glide quite like Phil- he was too heavy, even with the pains they’d taken to have the metal as lightweight as possible, but his glide was controlled. Unlike other birds, Tommy could only glide towards the ground, and not straight forward.

Even just doing that was enough to have Tommy whooping and cheering as he jumped from larger and larger heights, Phil’s flapping a comforting presence underneath him. If it was enough for Tommy, it would be enough for Phil. Something in him eased at knowing if Tommy ever fell off a cliff again, he could spread the wings Phil gave him and glide to safety.

Four hours later had them huddled around Sam’s fireplace, piles of cushions and blankets for when Tommy’s bird brain took over. Wilbur and Techno had burst into the room, Techno’s hair not even braided and Wilbur’s cape on backwards- and Tommy had laughed at both of his brothers, and Phil wasn’t sure if his sons were crying from laughter or relief.

They’d hugged it all out, whispered apologies and reassurances, Blessings pulsing as their brother asked them to stay. Phil smiled when both his older sons immediately sat, Wilbur crowding maybe a bit too much and Techno maybe too distant, but it didn’t matter. He had good boys. Tommy absorbed their affection regardless, a sponge to positivity.

Phil started the preening session. Tubbo had politely excused himself despite the offer to join, saying that he already lived in Tommy’s head, and that he didn’t think it a good idea for Tommy to be so dependent on only one person. Phil had prepared for the sting of rejection to cross Tommy’s face, but all his son had done was hit Tubbo’s shoulder and call him a bitch. They’d both laughed it off, and Phil made a mental note to speak to Tubbo and understand how he’d made all the progress Phil hadn’t.

With every feather shifted, stray ones falling to the floor, ruffled from his flight earlier, more and more little noises left Tommy’s mouth. Ten minutes later, when Wilbur had joined and Techno’s careful fingers were being far more gentle than he really needed to be, Tommy was on the ground with his wings spread wide, his fingers twitching at the piles of blankets.

When they’d finally finished and Tommy had carefully built himself a little nest and dragged all three of them in, Techno was proudly braiding a feather into his hair, one of Tommy’s few primaries that had come loose. It hung down, large and vibrant-gold against Techno’s pink, brushing against his ear and neck every time he moved his head. Wilbur carefully picked his own primary, humming as he weaved the calamus into a silver cord Puffy had made for him, dutifully turning it into a necklace.

Phil took his own feathers, two of Tommy’s secondaries. One he pressed into a pocket. Once he got home, he would find it a place next to a bit of Tommy’s down he had snagged when it was all falling out, a scrapbook of his children’s lives. He kept as many mementos he could find, the thing enchanted so none of its pieces would ever fall out.

The most surefire way to kill a god was to forget them entirely.

The scrapbook was thickly protected, had enough gods sworn to it that Phil knew even if he fell, his sons never would. Their stories would always be pressed within the pages, words and dates and pieces of their lives forever entwined onto paper.

Even if the world were to be destroyed, the written word exists in a plane outside of anything the gods could destroy.

They would always live.

Phil kept the other, attached it to the ribbon he’d tied around his hat. It was three toned: red for Tommy. Yellow for Wilbur. Pink for Techno. Three colours, for Phil’s three sons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SEE YOU LOSERS TOMORROW
> 
> I'll just sit here, listening to Call Them Brothers by Regina Spektor and trying not to sob over canon rn-


	25. Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They enter their portals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going to yeet this child

Tommy pressed the button on his harness, pulling his wings back to a resting position. Even with the aid of the harness in taking the weight of his body, his wings still ached if he went for too long. Overall, though, Tommy was still pleased. The weight on his back wasn’t useless.  _ He _ wasn’t useless.

_ You're not useless, no matter what. _ Tubbo poked at him, waving from the top of the cliff Tommy had started on. He merely grinned, sticking out his tongue at his friend, and trotted off to where Dream and Techno were waiting.

Sam had said something about Tommy's wings having grown a little too small for his body, something about weight versus lift. According to Sam, even if Tommy's wings did work normally, he wouldn't have been able to take off from the ground like Phil could. Too much mass, not enough power.

Even just gliding was making Tommy's heart soar. They'd figured out that if Phil was careful, if he grabbed onto the back of Tommy's harness, the lift generated from his wings could keep Tommy gliding straight instead of in a steady decline.

Despite everything, Tommy could still fly with Phil.

Tommy's primaries hung proudly on his brothers. Techno had immediately snatched one and braided it into his hair- hair that, as Tommy had learned, was his brother's pride and joy.

_ Pride and joy other than you _ , Tubbo poked at Tommy's thoughts again and he frowned, battering his friend away playfully.  _ Oh please, we both know Techno would totally cut off all his hair if you asked him. _

_ Heh. _ Tommy grinned at Tubbo as the other godling flung himself off a cliff, grabbing a shield and surfing down the decline. Dream made a worried noise, staring as Tubbo expertly avoided larger rocks, but Tommy clicked at him gently and grabbed his attention.

"I taught him, he'll be fine," Tommy waved his hand absently, Techno wincing from beside Dream at the shriek as one of the metal edges of Tubbo's shield screeched against a rock. "He'll need it, to get where he needs to go."

"Where he needs to go?" Dream echoed. Techno also refocused back on Tommy, and Tommy squirmed under the attention.

"We keep seeing it," he clarified, wringing his hands in and out. The restless energy that had taken over him when he'd started nesting was back, pushing at his skin and demanding release. Techno stepped forward and tugged Tommy into his lap, setting his chin on Tommy's head and letting him curl into his big brother's chest. Tommy sighed in relief as the restlessness soothed, dutifully ignoring Dream's snickers. "We keep seeing  _ them _ . We have to go to separate dimensions. Mine's this- uhh it's full of this weird stone-sand stuff. The sky is all black, there are pillars of obsidian with crystals on their tops. Tubbo's is in a jungle, through a few different craters and down this huge hole. Phil or Quackity  _ have  _ to go with Tubbo," Tommy argued. He jabbed his elbow into Techno's side, trying to determine Dream's expression through the mask. "I don't want to risk him falling. It's a long way down."

"Quackity will go with him," Techno's tone was flat. His legs raised, ankles crossing over each other on top of Tommy's legs as his arms came to wrap around Tommy's chest. Suspicious, that's what this fucking was. Tommy narrowed his eyes at his brother. Why exactly did he think Tommy was going to run off? Or was he just being clingy?  _ Sus, that's sus. _ Tubbo chimed in. He hopped off his shield, swinging it carefully to his back. "Because Phil is coming with us."

"Us." Tommy repeated, his eyes narrowing further.

"Us." Techno confirmed. He nodded and his arms tightened as he held Tommy against his chest. Tommy wriggled, trying to squirm out of the hold. He was pretty sure what bullshit Techno was up to, he was at least 90% sure, and the answer was  _ no _ . No because Tommy was a  _ big man _ and big men did not need their brothers to babysit them, even if they were going off to potentially fight a dragon. At least Tubbo could make an omlette out of his companion if he had to kill it- what was Tommy supposed to do with the body of a dragon?

"You're making it seem like you're coming with me, or something silly like that," Tommy glared at Techno, trying to get his legs up so he'd have some kind of leverage, but Techno wasn't letting up. The bastard. Tommy was about three wiggles away from declaring Wilbur his favourite brother. "Something that ridiculous that might make Wilbur my favourite." Tommy threatened, keeping his voice low. It was sort of ruined by his escape attempts.

Techno growled under his breath, the rumble vibrating against Tommy's pinned wings.

"I'll take being the least favourite brother if it means keeping you safe," Techno raised an eyebrow, unimpressed, and Tommy opened his mouth to protest. A strong pulse from Techno's Blessing, making his hands curl around his palms, cut him off. "You are taking us with you or you are not going."

"Techno," Dream sat down beside them, his face hidden behind his mask. "If he has to do it alone, he has to do it alone. You can't change his path."

Techno snarled again, something darker and rumbling harder at Tommy's wings. He swallowed the whine rising in his throat, his instincts recognizing Techno's unhappiness.

"And you can't change my nature. I will protect him," Techno threatened, lowly. Tommy managed to turn around, chirping as he pressed his head into Techno's neck. Techno let out a soft sigh, a hand unravelling from Tommy's chest and going to pet through his feathers. It wasn't preening, but it made Tommy's stupid bird brain purr at the sensation anyway.  _ Flock, flock, flock-  _ his mind chanted. Distantly, Tommy could hear Tubbo's roaring laughter at the chant and Tommy raised a hand, flipping his asshole best friend off. "Sorry Theseus, my… mind got ahead of me there. Would you let us go with you? Please?" Techno's voice had dropped, his hand combing through Tommy's still-quivering feathers.

"Yeah," Tommy slurred the words, relaxing against his brother. His mind felt like warm mush, almost like when Wilbur would take his pain away and fill his head with pleasant dreams. "Jus' don' stop." Tommy whined higher, another chirp escaping him as he leaned further into the contact. Techno chuckled, the back of Tommy's head still ringing with  _ flock flock flock _ and Tubbo was still laughing. Tommy frowned but he felt too nice and warm to make a fuss about it.

"This is coercion," Dream laughed from behind him. "You can't just pet him to make him agree to whatever you want."

"I can, actually," Techno hummed. He kept up the stroking, scratching the spaces between Tommy's feathers with his nails and Tommy  _ melted _ . A steady stream of chirps and purrs left his mouth as he burrowed into his brother. "Hey, Tommy, am I your favourite?"

"Oi!" Wilbur's voice was loud, breaking through Tommy's happy haze and he turned around a bit to glare at his other brother. Wilbur, for his part, looked relatively mad too, and Tommy's stupid bird brain whined at the idea that Wilbur was mad at  _ him _ . "Don't you even!  _ I'm _ clearly the favourite." Wilbur snarked. He plopped himself down, reaching out and running his own hand through Tommy's other thing. Tommy whined again, closing his eyes and focusing on the petting.

It was buzzing, like static in the back of his head, growing louder and louder until it drowned out anything else.

He could feel the Bond prodding at him, but Tommy didn't have the energy to answer. The static grew with every pet of his wings.

Until it stopped and Tommy could only feel the grass on the side of his face as he tried to catch his breath. "Wha-?" Tommy slurred, trying to push himself up. His vision was a little blurry but he blinked the spots away, refocusing on Tubbo, who was sitting a few feet away from him in the grass. When Tommy stared at him, Tubbo just smiled and waved.

_ Hey _ , their Bond spiked as Tommy tried to figure out what the hell happened.  _ Back with us? _

_ What happened? _

_ You got overwhelmed. _ Tubbo shrugged, gesturing off to the side. Far off from them, Techno was sitting with his back to them, a patch of bare grass all around him while Wilbur was chewing on his fingernails, looking guilty.  _ I yelled at them and got them to back off so you could reorient yourself. They're over there moping. They  _ were  _ fighting about whose fault it was for you getting overwhelmed, but then Philza yelled at them too and now they're in time out. _

Tommy blinked.  _ Two of the most powerful gods _ \- he started.

_ Uh huh. _ Tubbo interrupted.

_ -are in time out. _

_ They are, they are _ . Tubbo drummed his fingers against his leg, grinning at Tommy. He tried to sit up, the buzzing fading the longer he went without hands on his wings. He turned his head, finding Phil sitting a few feet away and watching him carefully.

"Hey kiddo," Phil tried for a smile, but even Tommy could tell it was tired and strained. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, I guess," Tommy stretched, his left elbow and all the fingers in his hands cracking. Tommy hummed and pressed down on his thumbs, letting the joints pop there too. He wanted to stretch his back out, but figured that with the wings attached, it might be a better idea to let someone else do it later on. "It wasn't bad. The overwhelmed bit. Felt really nice, actually."

"...it wasn't uncomfortable?" Phil's eyebrows drew together and his hands absently pulled up pieces of grass. Tommy scowled and smacked Phil's fingers, gently resting his palm on the ground. Little grass bloomed, pushing through the dirt and replacing what Phil had damaged. Tommy looked over at where Techno was still pulling handful, guilt in how his shoulders hunched all the way up to his ears, which were all droopy and sad. "You can tell the truth, Tommy," Phil's words cut him out of his annoyance. "It must have been scary, losing control of yourself like that."

"Wasn't." Tommy shrugged. Phil's eyebrows had gone up to his hairline and Tubbo just giggled, standing and pulling Tommy to his feet. Tubbo slung one arm over Tommy's shoulder and grinned. It bared all of his teeth and was so completely shit-eating that Tommy immediately felt  _ very  _ afraid.

"No, no, I can attest Your Royal Godness Philza, he was just going  _ flock flock flock warm safe happy _ -" Tubbo was cut off when Tommy slapped a palm over his mouth. He was pretty sure his face was on fire, he could certainly feel the heat. Phil did  _ not _ need to know that and they were in hearing range of Techno and Wilbur- they would totally use this against Tommy and he was not here for it.

"Tubbo I am going to throw you off a cliff-" Tommy shrieked as Tubbo flipped him. He tasted mud, spitting up little blades of grass as his bondmate ran like hell. "Get back here you lying piece of shit!"

"You're the one who can't admit he  _ loves _ -"

"I WILL SKIN YOU ALIVE."

“In all seriousness,” Dream suddenly appeared between them, grabbing a running Tubbo by the scruff and pursuing Tommy by the shirt. “You two do need to head out. I’m sure you’ve felt the pull.”

The godlings exchanged glances, eyebrows furrowed as they considered it. Tommy felt the Blessings in his hands and neck pulse, his brothers behind him as Phil stretched his wings out to their full length and joined them. Tommy closed his eyes- sandstone and towers and exploding crystals and the purple tinge of magic; he could feel the same whispering through Tubbo’s head, of blood vines and an egg that would only hatch when the universe breathes its last breath.

_ If you die, _ Tubbo said through their Bond. They made eye contact, and Tubbo’s gaze was burning, his devotion surging like a tidal wave through Tommy’s mind.  _ I will suck the life from everything until there is nothing left. _

_ Aye-aye, big man. _ Tommy saluted. He’d be scared, but- it was Tubbo. He sincerely doubted Tubbo could kill everything, what would his Bondmate do without bees?  _ You don’t have to worry about that. _

Tubbo huffed, staring forward again as Dream waved his hand. Two portals appeared, golden and swirling, but Tommy knew which direction he was being pulled in. Left.

_ Left left left- _ Tommy’s mind pulled him, his feet walking before he had registered that they were.

“Good luck, Tubs,” Tommy whispered. “Don’t fall.”

“I won’t,” Tubbo grinned. “My family’s already there. They have my back. Let your’s take care of you, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Tommy grinned. Tubbo went first-  _ order has to be established before chaos can ruin it  _ \- his portal vanishing in a series of golden sparkles. Dream stared after him, frowning.

“Didn’t really think you guys would do this so young,” he hummed. He turned, his mask unclipping, and Tommy blinked at far-too-familiar green eyes, light smatterings of freckles, sandy blonde hair. Maybe, a few months ago, he would have been scared. Would have protected his face. But Tommy could still hear the crooning tunes of Mellohi and Cat in his head and the nights of being able to sleep with the melodies playing had calmed him. He smiled. It was small, sure, and maybe there was a little anxiety crawling up his throat. But he wasn’t running. He surged forward and buried himself into Dream’s arms, sighing when Dream jolted. “Oh.” Dream breathed out, wrapping his arms back around Tommy.

Tommy’s old Dream gave hugs that felt more like being trapped than being safe.

He was okay with the change.

“Thanks,” Tommy whispered. He pulled away, and maybe he wanted the hug to be longer, but he could feel Techno’s surging jealousy and irritation from here, and his own anxiety was getting a little stronger at the familiarity. “For everything.”

“...of course,” Dream clipped his mask back on, gesturing towards the portal. “George ‘n I will be hanging out at Niki’s bakery until you guys come back. Stop by for some food, okay? I’ll pay.”

“Okay. Tell Niki Tubbo and I said hi!” Tommy skipped over the portal, waving. Wilbur’s hand clamped around Tommy’s free one, like he was scared that Tommy was just going to up and vanish. Techno hovered anxiously, looming over Tommy’s frame while Phil stood towards the back of their group, sighing fondly.

“Will do. Good luck. Make us proud,  _ Theseus _ .” Dream waved back and stuck one hand in his jacket.

Tommy stepped through his portal, his brothers right behind him. Techno was already complaining, muttering under his breath with bloodlust coating his tone.

“He didn’t  _ ask _ to call you Theseus. That’s my name for you, I named you so I should be the only one who gets to call you that.” he grumped.

“Techno, you do realize that-”

“Guys!” Tommy shrieked, diving out of the way as a blast of purple particles flew down towards them, separating Tommy from his family.

The dragon roared, a terrible, echoing sound that crashed into Tommy’s ears. He activated Wilbur’s Blessing, pushing the sound away, and staring up at what would be his godhood.

Enormous, black, scaled, bright purple eyes.

Tommy gulped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you tomorrow~


	26. Order

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tubbo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo I have so much homework
> 
> I DID A BUNCH OF IT TODAY THOUGH, I HAVE BEEN AT MY LAPTOP FOR 8 HOURS

The first thing Tubbo noticed was the little bubbles of sound coming from chirping birds. The air was warm, moist, an anxious buzz from Tommy in the back of his head. Maybe Tommy wasn’t have as great of a time, but this seemed pretty normal so far. Tubbo breathed it, feeling how heavy and hot the air was in his lungs. It settled as he inhaled, lungs expanding to welcome the oxygen in. Tubbo was already sweating in his button-down. He heard a twig snap to his left and he glanced over, watching Quackity approach with something folded in his hands.

“Hey Tubbo,” his pseudo-dad/older brother grinned, holding up the bundle. “We brought you some new clothes. Figured it was going to get hot.” Tubbo wasn’t sure how they knew, exactly, but he wasn’t going to question it now. He had to find his companion.

“Thanks.” Tubbo reached out and took the offered fabric, humming at the lines of chainmail sewn between the pieces of fabric. He stepped behind a tree to pull on the shirt, the looser pants, and the boots. He was struggling with tucking the bunched up fabric into his boots, curses rolling from his lips as he fought with the stupid thing.

“Need some help?” Schlatt leaned against a nearby tree, amusement in his eyes. Tubbo sighed and tore both boots off, sticking out his feet. Schlatt approached, humming as he neatly folded the cloth so it didn’t get stuck when it got put into the boot. Tubbo sighed as his dad helped him- he’d never been able to do this on his own. Didn’t seem to matter how old he got, whether it was tying his shoelaces or putting his pants into his boots- Schlatt was always there, scruff and an easy grin on his face as he leaned down to help.

“You’re growin’ up so fast,” Schlatt muttered. Tubbo tilted his head as Schlatt’s hands stayed on his calves, staring down at the polished boots. “I remember when you were a little tot, hiding behind my legs and eating apple slices under my desk. It was like it was yesterday.”

“That’s cause it  _ was _ yesterday,” Tubbo retorted. He grinned when Schlatt rolled his eyes, standing and offering Tubbo a hand. “I was hungry and you wouldn’t come have a snack with me. I even shared! I don’t know why you’re complaining, really-”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Schlatt huffed. His hand came down and mussed up Tubbo’s hair, fingers getting caught in the thickness of it. Tubbo hadn’t exactly brushed it that morning, so it was puffy and full of knots from his bedhead. Schlatt just sighed, trying to untangle his fingers and eventually getting them out. “I’m proud of you kid.”

Tubbo flashed a wild grin. He was  _ elated _ , he could feel the pull coming somewhere forward and below. His companion.

Tubbo knew they wouldn’t have the same relationship as Tommy and his dragon- Tubbo knew, in his deepest of hearts, that Tommy would either kill the thing or it would become his pet, and because of his nature, it was yet to be decided. But Tubbo’s had been decided since the day he had been born, since the day the egg had spawned into existence to clean up what creation left behind.

Destruction,

They would ruin worlds.

“I am too,” Tubbo stepped forward, finally into the overgrowth. Quackity peeled himself off a tree where he’d been complaining about the heat to a nervous-looking Ranboo. They approached, footsteps quiet behind Tubbo. “I am too.”

He had come further than he’d ever meant to, all things considered. Tubbo had  _ left _ his god’s protection for the first time in his life, found his Bondmate, brought him home. Killed said Bondmate’s abuser. Tubbo had done more than he had ever expected himself too, but he understood now. Order had to come before chaos. Chaos followed fast behind, but something needs to be put together before it falls apart. Tubbo had restored order to all of their lives, restored peace to Tommy’s family and peace to Tommy by beheading his abuser.

Tubbo was the judge. The jury. The executioner.

He stepped off into the undergrowth, family silent behind him. A quiet trust pulsed between all of them, Tubbo baring his back and them watching his. It had always been this way -  _ walk and we will follow _ \- silent trust -  _ be your own person, Tubbo  _ \- and nothing but support -  _ we will give you room to make mistakes  _ -.

All leading to this.

Tubbo’s toes stretched over the giant hole, peering down into the crater. It was dark and the temperature warmed, an even hotter blast of air flying at Tubbo’s face. He didn’t flinch. He flipped his hand, gesturing for his family to stay put. Even if Tommy would likely run into more trouble, Tubbo was still on a time limit here. He had to find his companion before Tommy. They were twins, chaos and order - order and chaos, but Tubbo still came  _ first _ .

Tubbo edged along the line. He knew if he fell, it would be it and it would be over- the egg did not need him to operate. So he hugged the corners, stepped around the vines, and breathed as he asked for some of Tommy’s chaos. It felt wrong, cold where Tubbo was hot and warm where Tubbo was freezing, red lines blurring around his fingers, and he pressed them daintily into the nearest vine. It turned a bright red, not the blood that Tubbo would be face-to-face with, but the red of Tommy’s old shirt. Red like blood, red like fire- red like the chaos Tommy would bring to this world.

Tommy was red, because his first colour was  _ blue _ . The dragon was purple, and when you took blue from purple, it left red. Two halves. Two wholes.

Tubbo gripped onto a vine as it spiraled downwards and he took his shield out. He pressed it into the ground, watched as Ranboo eyed him anxiously. He trusted his brother to catch him if he fell, but Tubbo was pretty confident that he would not fall. He tipped the edge of the shield down the thickening vine, nature responding to Tommy’s power, and he fell forward.

The wind rushed, plucking at his face and bringing tears to his eyes, as he descended further down into the pit. The walls seemed to crumble and die, vines becoming dead and decayed as he travelled. The stone was cracking, the water had dried up- it was only Tommy’s power at his fingers keeping his vine alive long enough. There was a red glow at the very bottom, the blood red that Tubbo had been so pulled to.

_ Hello, little order. _ It spoke, not in the way Tubbo could have ever said. What it sounded like Tubbo couldn’t quite explain, but it matched the apathy in his chest. The numb, controlled neutrality. There was a design. Tubbo would execute it. His vine touched the bottom, water receding at his feet. Something shuddered at the bottom of the pit, his entire vine decaying and collapsing in on itself. It vanished into grey piles of dust, left for nothing but the worms now.  _ You are here for your godhood. _

“I have already completed my journey,” Tubbo hummed back. “I have found my Bondmate,” a step. Tubbo knew there was no oxygen to breathe down here, nothing that would keep him alive. “I brought him home and restored order to the land of the gods,” another step. Tubbo hadn’t been a godling since he’d taken Dream’s head off, but he kept the power away and locked in his chest. He was supposed to follow Tommy, be faster, be first: but not that much ahead. It was their design. “I have killed the disruption.”

_ You have. _ The egg seemed to hum back, and Tubbo’s feet brought him into a smaller pit, dug into the very bottom of the cavern. Cracks fled from the scene, rocks and ash under his feet crumbling as he touched them. Tubbo let his body fill with the godly power he’d been repressing- and  _ oh.  _ It soared through his body, echoing touches of green and gold and brown, of the blankness of the universe, of its last dying breath.

The universe dies in a whimper.

Tubbo would be there to see it.

_ If chaos goes, there will be nothing left but you. _ The egg asked. As it ...spoke, Tubbo could see the thing pulse, like a little heart. It had harder pieces on it, a cracked shell on its very top and bottom, but the majority of it was a membrane, pulsing with little veins and alive in the way dead things used to be.  _ Are you sure about this, little god? _

“It has already been promised in my design,” Tubbo spoke, light and airy. He could feel his head tilt, his body glowing as he approached the egg. The pull was stronger and he set one hand along the membrane. The pulsing was in the same beat as his heart. “If chaos goes, the universe will end. There will be nothing left and I will see to it that even we are destroyed.”

_ You seem very sure. _

“Philza has already changed the design,” Tubbo pet the little pieces of membrane, humming as the silky stickiness of it. It clung to his hand when he pulled away, red goo in a thin sheen on his palm and the tips of his fingers. “Chaos cannot leave because I cannot destroy what is not present. He has booked all of his children. They will not vanish, and the universe will not die quietly.”

_ If the universe dies with a bang, then?  _ The egg whispered, red veins snaking up Tubbo’s arms. Distantly, he felt them burrow into his wrists, tearing through fragile skin and pushing their way through his veins. He supposed in another time, another life, he might have been screaming. But he was Order now- and he was everywhere. It was so easy to forget the pain of the physical body, simply cutting it off.  _ Chaos may destroy everything. _

“All the more power to him,” Tubbo knew the egg was testing, asking questions it already knew the answer to. They both knew what their jobs were, knew they were bound. It wouldn’t stop the egg from prodding anyway. It was its design. “It is his design.”

_ Those Blessings of yours will stay. A bit of chaos into your life, so it seems. _ The egg’s vines cut off, replacing the blood in Tubbo’s hands. They snaked around his arms, up his face, and with a quiet flash of green, they vanished.

When Tubbo looked up next, the egg had shrunk down to the size of a small lamp, something Tubbo could easily carry in his arms.

“Tommy does have quite a hold on me,” Tubbo picked the egg up, bringing it up to his chest. He stepped out of the little pit, cracks growing underneath his feet. He pulled his consciousness back towards his body, power thrumming under his hands. It felt so natural, like breathing, and Tubbo wondered how he could have ever felt alive while repressing it. “It is only natural.”

_ It is your design. _ The egg pulsed again, but fondly. Tubbo focused his power back into his hands.

He and Tommy weren’t like mortals- they weren’t even like the other gods. Even the other gods fell into Tommy’s aspect and their deaths fell into Tubbo’s. He supposed it was only natural- had they been born normally, the only instrument of the gods’ destruction, they would have been hated. Hunted down. Killed.

As godlings, they were regarded as gifts, as blessings, and Tubbo knew that if he were ever to be asked to bring about their destruction, he would merely bring Tommy in and change the design.

He supposed their upbringing was as much for them as it was for the gods. They could not kill what they loved.

He and Tommy were beyond the other gods, beyond the mortals. They couldn’t disappear, not unless  _ everything _ else did. Tommy would only go if Tubbo killed all of life itself, every last particle in every last universe, popped every bubble until there was nothing left. He supposed they were meant to be this, too. Tubbo could not kill what he loved so dearly.

Tommy pulsed in the back of his head, afraid for his life, afraid from his abuse, and still so mortal. Tubbo sent all the comfort he could back, promises of aid, his power dancing at his fingertips.

_ You’re already a god?! That didn’t take long, big man!  _ Tommy pretended to be annoyed, pretended to complain, but Tubbo merely chuckled, the egg laughing with the same beat in his hands. Tubbo lived as part of Tommy’s head, he knew his Bondmate couldn’t hide anything from him.  _ I can’t believe you beat me, you bitch! _

Just as Tubbo’s power had brought him to the height of the highest of gods, staring down at the rest as pesky ants under his feet, Tommy’s dragged him back down. Tubbo laughed. He could feel the air around him loosening, no longer so choking. Sound still had a hard time carrying down here- he didn’t need to breathe, but he was used to the feeling of it and was off-put by how hard it was to draw in air. Tubbo wanted out, and he wanted a Ranboo hug when he got out.

_ I am older than you, _ Tubbo smirked, sending his amusement back. Tommy ducked under another blast, shrieking as he was flung into the air, and Tubbo for a moment,  _ worried _ . But Tommy merely pressed a button on his harness, wings stretching out, and he glided down to the floor without an issue. Didn’t stop Wilbur from tackling him or Philza from shrieking in worry, or Techno from  _ immediately _ throwing an axe at the dragon. It was ineffective, but Tubbo’d give him points for trying.  _ Kobe. _ Tubbo memed absently, grinning at how Techno was immediately flung into the air following his axe-attempt. Philza dove to catch him and Tommy forced Tubbo out of his mind.

_ No, that was a yeet, _ Tommy argued.  _ Yeet is for distance and kobe is for accuracy. _

_ My distinct apologies, ‘o biggest of men, _ Tubbo grinned again, waving a hand at the walls of the pit. He knew his family were standing on the other side, but only their returning pulses across their Blessings were enough to make him continue. The wall fell, dust and ash shaking to the ground as the stone crumbled, leaving Tubbo a nice little hill to climb to have a safer way out.  _ Yeet. _

_ That’s better, _ Tommy grumped, but Tubbo knew how happy his Bondmate was, even as Techno came flying down in Philza’s arms, spewing curses.  _ Oh yeah! Dream said he’d meet us at Niki’s bakery when we’re done. He’s going to buy us lunch. _

_ Free lunch! _ Tubbo cheered.  _ We have to go in together. _

_ Of course! I’ll see you on the other side, big man. _

_ Of course.  _ Their Bond cut off with a small buzz as Tommy refocused on his dragon problem and Tubbo worked on going up the hill. It was quite interesting, how his body had changed- he wouldn’t have been able to climb this before, but now, he wasn’t even the slightest bit winded. He reached the top, egg in his arms, and heard Quackity shout. The egg quickly wrapped its vines around a tree and pulled itself away, just in time for Tubbo to fall to the ground with Ranboo crushing him in a hug.

Maybe it was Tubbo’s design to kill all of them, one day. Maybe that would be the  _ orderly _ thing to do. But Tubbo knew his Bondmate, knew Tommy would never settle for that.

He’d let Tommy cause enough chaos that the design would change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I drank water while I typed, nobody panic

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [dig me a boneyard in a field of daffodils](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29301978) by [07JoeTheBastardo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/07JoeTheBastardo/pseuds/07JoeTheBastardo)




End file.
